The Department of Homeland Security has one more year under its belt. The FIRE Grant Program was moved to the Office of Defense Preparedness. The SAFER and Hometown Heroes Survivors Benefits acts were passed by Congress. While we might be optimistic about 2004, it doesn't hurt to appeal for a little more common sense.

Now that the hype of New Year's resolutions is over, I'd like to propose three common-sense goals for the DHS, the USFA and the fire service itself to consider in the coming year: training, education and politics.

1. Firefighter training

   Basic skills, specialized incidents and fitness training — it all works together. As fire calls decrease, the need for live-fire training increases to reinforce the basics. A multitude of new challenges face emergency responders, and the best way to keep learning is to build on the basics of the routine response and develop new layers of defense. Spend money wisely by training the trainers, as the best training starts with the best instructors.

   The National Fire Academy is finally getting the publicity it deserves, and demand is high with long waiting lists. Again, build on what exists and works. It's time to take advantage of technology to make these successful NFA classes accessible to all emergency responders across North America.

   I recently had the opportunity to visit the Emergency Services Training Institute, part of the Texas Emergency Extension Service of Texas A&M University, in College Station. Until you actually see the “fire school,” you can't comprehend the training opportunities that this program offers the national and international fire service. According to ESTI Director Les Bunte, “We've heard it said that this is the best-kept secret in the fire service.” It may be a secret, yet the ESTI trains more than 120,000 fire personnel annually. From recruit training to specialized courses, ESTI either offers it or will create an accredited or certifiable training program.

   Top-notch training exists across the country. Let's promote it and make it affordable.

2. Educated leadership

   Whether it's working with a local community college, attending the seminars at Fire-Rescue International or participating in a national training program, leadership in the emergency services is more demanding than ever.

   One of our goals is to identify as many educational and training options available for you to better lead your departments and serve your community. Over the next several issues, Fire Chief will offer articles to help you understand the educational and specialized opportunities available to help you become a better officer. No travel budget? There's a wide range of options via print or the Internet to help you get started. As we learn of opportunities the local, state and national levels, we'll post them on our Web site.

   This year, in response to your request for more officer-oriented training, Fire Chief turns to the Fire Emergency Training Network to write our monthly Training Perspectives column. Each month, we also will include a synopsis of upcoming programs offered by FETN. If you haven't seen one of these training programs, visit www.fetn.com or call 800-932-3386 for more information.

3. Get political

   While most metro and many career chiefs already have a city-smart awareness of the importance of politics in their local government, no fire chief is immune to this aspect of public life. Even if your department is independent of its local government, the dynamics of DHS working with or through your state officials will require that first responders work together, and that doesn't happen over night.

Get to know your state representatives. Meet with them locally and visit their offices May 5 in Washington, D.C., as part of the Congressional Fire Services Institute's one-day program. The presence of Class A uniforms throughout the Capitol last year was excellent. Don't back down. Politicians need to hear your voices more than ever!

The squeaky wheel may get the grease, but it takes “facts and face” to get the money. Do the math and get in their face to tell your story. The scene of a disaster is not the place to meet your state officials.