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Professionalism and Education
Qualifications. Training. Education. These are
all words that are spoken frequently in the fire
service. In my experience, it is typically lip
service and when real teeth are put into a policy
or guideline for promotions, pre-employment, or to
maintain a level of proficiency, they suddenly
become a cliché and no longer a mission.
I recently had a friend, who is not in the fire
service, ask me about the classes that I take. He
wanted to know if my employer required me to
take these classes. His curiousness led us to the
differences between paramedics/EMTs and
firefighters in regards to continuing education
units for re-licensure for medical folks and the
lack of such CEUs for firefighters. He was sure
that we had strict requirements for our people,
especially those in leadership positions and was
surprised and a little taken back by my answer.
It was explained that a paramedic and EMT
must complete a set number of CEUs in a specific
number of years in order to re-license.
Firefighters on the other hand have no such
requirements. Typically there is an academy that
is usually from 10-13 weeks and then that is it.
You get a certification from the state, but there
are no ongoing requirements. You could literally
never take another class and finish your career in
a recliner.
Additionally, there are no educational
requirements for those who lead our troops. Some
organizations may have promotional requirements,
but for many there are none or very little. There
are very few that make their officers take classes
after being promoted in order to stay current and
motivated.
I have some issues with this personally and
professionally. How can we claim to be a
profession of the best when we set the bar so
low? I understand that some departments have
small budgets and few resources. But, I have
seen these same organizations with some of the most
stringent requirements for their officers in
comparison with many career departments.
There needs to be an effort to create a
curriculum that would establish minimum
requirements for continuing education for
firefighters and officers at all levels. It would be
required to meet these requirements to keep your
rank and to stay actively employed. Obviously this
would be a huge undertaking and would meet
resistance from many fronts.
If we, as fire service professionals, want to
be considered professionals, we must adopt an
attitude that is consistent with being such. Not
just acting appropriately, but training and getting
educated in our field. And, let’s face it, our field
is no longer just putting out fires. We are faced
with increased responsibilities every time we turn
around.
This fall I had the opportunity to interview
Chief Vincent Dunn of FDNY. I asked what he
thought one of the biggest challenges for the fire
service is? He responded that educating our
people, especially our officers, is paramount. The
days of gaining experience for what we do are
gone because we don’t run the volume of those
calls like we have in the past. We still gain
experience, but he believes that we must get
education and training in the things that we are
not as familiar with, especially building
construction, special rescue, haz mat and fire
control.
Let’s take our future seriously and push
education and training to the front. I believe that
it will create a safer fire service and will create
more credibility for what we do and who we are.
We owe it to our future firefighters and fire
service leaders to get it right now, to make it
better for tomorrow.
all words that are spoken frequently in the fire
service. In my experience, it is typically lip
service and when real teeth are put into a policy
or guideline for promotions, pre-employment, or to
maintain a level of proficiency, they suddenly
become a cliché and no longer a mission.
I recently had a friend, who is not in the fire
service, ask me about the classes that I take. He
wanted to know if my employer required me to
take these classes. His curiousness led us to the
differences between paramedics/EMTs and
firefighters in regards to continuing education
units for re-licensure for medical folks and the
lack of such CEUs for firefighters. He was sure
that we had strict requirements for our people,
especially those in leadership positions and was
surprised and a little taken back by my answer.
It was explained that a paramedic and EMT
must complete a set number of CEUs in a specific
number of years in order to re-license.
Firefighters on the other hand have no such
requirements. Typically there is an academy that
is usually from 10-13 weeks and then that is it.
You get a certification from the state, but there
are no ongoing requirements. You could literally
never take another class and finish your career in
a recliner.
Additionally, there are no educational
requirements for those who lead our troops. Some
organizations may have promotional requirements,
but for many there are none or very little. There
are very few that make their officers take classes
after being promoted in order to stay current and
motivated.
I have some issues with this personally and
professionally. How can we claim to be a
profession of the best when we set the bar so
low? I understand that some departments have
small budgets and few resources. But, I have
seen these same organizations with some of the most
stringent requirements for their officers in
comparison with many career departments.
There needs to be an effort to create a
curriculum that would establish minimum
requirements for continuing education for
firefighters and officers at all levels. It would be
required to meet these requirements to keep your
rank and to stay actively employed. Obviously this
would be a huge undertaking and would meet
resistance from many fronts.
If we, as fire service professionals, want to
be considered professionals, we must adopt an
attitude that is consistent with being such. Not
just acting appropriately, but training and getting
educated in our field. And, let’s face it, our field
is no longer just putting out fires. We are faced
with increased responsibilities every time we turn
around.
This fall I had the opportunity to interview
Chief Vincent Dunn of FDNY. I asked what he
thought one of the biggest challenges for the fire
service is? He responded that educating our
people, especially our officers, is paramount. The
days of gaining experience for what we do are
gone because we don’t run the volume of those
calls like we have in the past. We still gain
experience, but he believes that we must get
education and training in the things that we are
not as familiar with, especially building
construction, special rescue, haz mat and fire
control.
Let’s take our future seriously and push
education and training to the front. I believe that
it will create a safer fire service and will create
more credibility for what we do and who we are.
We owe it to our future firefighters and fire
service leaders to get it right now, to make it
better for tomorrow.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Jason Hoevelmann on March 24, 2009 at 10:18am
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FETC, we are a bit different out here. Example, a captain who as recent as four years ago put in a letter to not ride the seat and when we got a new board, he got promoted to captain. Now, after making comments like "i don't wear my seatbelt and i wont sign a pledge to do so" has recently been promoted to asst chief/training officer. This guy has no formal training, never went out of his way to train and knows nothing about instructing, especially 1403. This type of event is not uncommon and really demoralizes departments and young firefighters trying to do the right thing.
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Alex, I am not sure I understand the question, but Iwill try to answer what I think you are asking. A "half back" extrication device could be the same as Kendrick Ectrication Device or 'ked' board. It is used to help extricate victims of vehicle accidents. This short board is placed on the patient while they are still in the car, typically in a seated position to help immobilize the patient during extrication and before being placed on a long spine board. I do not have any books, but if you Google "kendrick extrication device" it should pop up. Take care and stay safe.
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Comment by Alex on March 24, 2009 at 10:08am
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Can i ask a question about training...?
sorry i'm living in italy and we never start to use a HALF BACK ESTRICATION device FERNO.
Do you have any informations or hand book course? about that?
i'm sorry for my english, and interferenc...
Thank You
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Comment by FETC on March 22, 2009 at 11:02am
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Not sure where you work, but around the northeast training and fire officer development is key to getting promoted and progressive fire department's continually educate them to make better organizational strides with great fire officers. I see your example around here in mostly in volunteer organiations in which they vote upon their officers. And you are exactly right, some are clearly underqualified and not prepared to handle the position.
For example, some voted upon Fire Chief's in nearby organizations are not qualified to be a probationary firefighter within our city. But the problem in which you have addressed is a double edged sword because training and "continious" training costs TIME and MONEY. None the which some departments will ever have.
Get what you pay for, but I would also bet if the EMT certification process were to ever throw out their continuing education process, what you will find is a lack of educational retention or poor EMT skills due to the lack of volume. How many times has anyone really delivered a baby? Or had a patient with labor complications??? The Fire Service eventually will attempt to institute con-ed but in the USA their are states who do not accept other states certifications because of curriculum. The only reason administrators pay money for the EMT training is because they are mandated to, regardless of how big their paid, combo or vollie budget is...
TCSS
FETC
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