Training
Training and preparation are two mission critical components of what we have identified as one of the three essential underpinnings in the determinant of the department’s continued success. The Division of Training develops, implements and maintains programs designed to support the safe, efficient and effective operational activities of the department. It includes all of the department’s operational sub-functions including emergency medical service, fire suppression, specialized rescue, support services and fire prevention.
The Training Division coordinates specialized in-house training to convey new concepts and techniques, reinforce existing skills and address modern advances in the delivery of emergency services which maintain the high skill level of our personnel. Specialized training programs cover diverse topics such as Low Angle/High Angle Rope Rescue, Confined Space Rescue Operations, Hazardous Materials Response, Incident Command and the Art of Reading Smoke.
The Deputy Chief is charged with the responsibility of the overall training programming with a variety of State Certified Fire Service Instructors actually carrying out the delivery of the programs to our personnel. We are fortunate to have a variety of Instructors qualified to teach the diverse subjects needed to safely meet the equally diverse set of challenges faced by the department. Some of the most taxing are those incidents defined as low frequency/high severity events where the safety of our residents and firefighters alike is at great risk without continual on-going training.
The Training Division maintains a very active role in joint regional training with surrounding agencies and the local community College’s Fire Science program including their Firefighter II Academy. This network helps fulfill the Training Division’s mission to ensure our personnel provide a very high level of emergency and non-emergency services to the community and return home safely at the end of each shift.
We are also fortunate to have at our disposal a training facility where personnel can participate in highly realistic drills and, at times, live-fire training exercises which are carefully planned, controlled operations utilizing this facility. The training drills reinforce important skills necessary for search and rescue and fire suppression in residential structures and provide extremely valuable experience for our firefighters. Please contact the Deputy Fire Chief for more information regarding the availability/use of our training facility or for additional information on training in general.