Recently the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation conducted the Firefighter Life Safety Summit, focusing on the prevention of line-of-duty deaths. One major area evaluated was training, which resulted in a proposal to develop mandatory, national standards for firefighter training and certification at every level, particularly to qualify for command positions and to drive emergency vehicles.

FEMA released a technical summary on the risks of firefighter training and ways to reduce deaths and injuries. The report, compiled by the U.S. Fire Administration, identifies specific actions that can be taken train and respond more safely and effectively.

When I entered the volunteer fire and EMS system more than 30 years ago, training and education were simpler. You learned from your elders. The training was primarily hands-on and had little testing, if any. In essence, the majority of training was practical training.

But training as an industry is changing and advancing. Those of us who are involved in fire service training as developers, trainers or end-users must be aware of the fundamental industry changes, as we will see them next being applied to the fire and EMS community.

More than tasks

We've had many advances since I attended my first training activity, but the objectives of our job remain the same — when the victim calls for help, we must be prepared to solve the problem.

Today's training, for whatever reasons, must involve not only the actual performance of the task, but how to professionally manage the people and process that result in the completion of the job. In addition, the training must be done in a cost-effective manner by professionals performing instructional activities. The cost efficiencies are even more significant as budget constraints continue to affect our operations.

Where required, the training must be recorded and evaluations completed to ensure learning has occurred. All of this is significantly different than when I took that first Firefighter I class.

The medium, or how training is conducted, has changed as well. Classroom training is only one form of education. Distance learning, self-paced education, simulations, computer-based training and new technology have all changed the landscape of how we are trained and what we are trained in. Techniques and content are changing, and we have to be prepared for those changes. For the most part, we have readily accepted these changes and will continue to do so. In many ways, our organizational culture is driving how various training is conducted.

According to Dr. Denis Onieal, superintendent of the National Fire Academy, many professions are sufficiently advanced beyond the fire and emergency medical services when it comes to standardized professional qualifications and maintenance of that professional status. All of this is driven by the changing nature of education and training, which is driven by performance expectations.

Educational assistance

The Commission on Fire Accreditation International is one organization that has established training and education program requirements and performance indicators that are fundamental to operational programs and organizational purposes. CFAI defines specific training and competency programs, resources, and capabilities for fire service personnel that support defined operational programs and thereby accomplish organizational purposes.

Training and educational resource programs need to express the philosophy of the organization they serve and are central to its mission. Learning resources should include a library with collections of materials to support teaching and learning, instructional methodologies and technologies, support services, distribution and maintenance systems for equipment and materials, instructional information systems like computers and software, telecommunications, other audio-visual media, and the facilities to use such equipment and services.

Central to the success of the training process is a learning resources organizational structure and a technically proficient support staff. The training staff should provide services that encourage and stimulate competency, innovation and increased effectiveness. The agency or system should provide those learning resources necessary to support quality training. The adequacy of a system's successes should be judged in terms of its goals, objectives and programs supporting the organization in achieving its mission.

In addition, state and national fire service professional standards programs must be considered, as accreditation and certification by recognized systems is considered prima facie compliance with the intent of the CFAI Training and Competency Category. (See sidebar.)

The four key performance criteria for training and competency include:

1. Training and education program activities that support the agency's needs.

2. Training and education programs that support the agency's needs.

3. Training and education resources, printed and non-printed library materials, media equipment, facilities and staff that are available to support the agency's needs.

4. Materials selected for the training program that support agency needs.

So what will be different you ask? If you have seen the The Lion King, you'll recall the scene where Rafiki explains to Simba the importance of viewing the future with an understanding the past, and of using that knowledge for more positive future results. The past demonstrates that a change in technology and a desire to improve will create changes in the systems used to advance the understanding of the subject, whether or not the fire service culture is willing to accept it. Current theories use benchmarking, training goals and objectives, standardized training and testing, investment return relationships, learning technology processes, percentage of time/payroll measurements, and external training return on investment, among others.

Training and Development, the magazine of the American Society of Training and Development, recently published “The Future of the Profession Formerly Known as Training.” The article discusses the potential impact that training employees can have, and what possible changes the profession faces. It brings us to an understanding that training is intended to make people work together, learn faster, work smarter, and get better results.

Substitute teaching

Outsourcing training to other organizations streamlines instructional design, focuses on objectives and may cost less overall to achieve results. Technology will help accomplish new things, but once the hype of the training technique is gone, the technology reveals what is really useful.

The military has been redeveloping its training in recent years to meet the changing requirements of the battlefield. For years, the fire service has been likened to a paramilitary structure with one key similarity — like a soldier, the firefighter immediately faces a hostile environment on arrival at an incident. Therefore, firefighters of today must also be trained to meet the challenges of the hazards they will face in that hostile environment.

As the frequency of large fires has reduced, the increase of hazardous materials, terrorism, EMS, technical rescue and related new hostile environments requires new tools, techniques and training. Education must be geared to these changes and driven by risk assessments and pre-emergency planning. Like Simba, we need to learn from exposure to these situations and positively react to manage adverse situations.

Today's firefighters tend to absorb more, more quickly, from teaching and learning techniques and have a better understanding of fundamentals. As a result, there is a gap between humanist (learning and adult education) and behaviorist (performance improvement) views of the field. Is the fire and EMS system different than any other segment of the work force? Probably not.

The most effective learning will integrate interactive involvement, content, entertainment and retention to achieve its goals. The key doesn't reside in each of the individual mix items. The mix will change over time, as will your objectives. So your training program content and goals must be constantly changing to meet evolving needs. The training programs must also integrate basic training issues, refresher training issues regulatory mandated issues, and new equipment operational issues. The key to success lays in achieving the goals your training programs have and how they relate to the knowledge and skill sets you need to have to achieve the job the citizens expect from you.

It's up to you as an officer or trainer not to just teach a class or coach a subordinate. How you conduct your training; what you train them on; the medium you use; the performance expectation; and the relationship to safety, job requirements, certification, licensing or accreditation all play a role in the future of fire service training.

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Dr. William Jenaway is the executive vice president of VFIS, responsible for their education, training and consulting services to insureds and clients. He is also the chief executive officer of the King of Prussia (Pa.) Volunteer Fire Company. A regular speaker at emergency services conferences, he has authored several fire service texts and extensively writes for various emergency service tabloids. Jenaway currently chairs the NFPA Risk Management Committee and is the president of the Congressional Fire Services Institute. He was named Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year by FIRE CHIEF in 2001 and is a member of the board of trustees of the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

CFAI Training and Competency

There are 18 performance indicators that support the four key performance criteria of the CFAI Training and Competency Category.

For Criterion 1: Training and education program activities are identified to support the agency's needs.

• The organization has a process in place to identify training needs. The process identifies tasks, activities, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to deal with anticipated emergency conditions.
• The training program is consistent with the agency's mission statement and meets its organizational needs.
• The training program is consistent with legal requirements for performing mandatory training.
• The department has identified minimum levels of training required for all positions.
• A command and staff development program is in place.

For Criterion 2: Training and education programs are provided to support the agency's needs.

• There is a process to ensure that personnel are appropriately trained.
• The organization provides both short and long range training schedules.
• The agency has identified the process for developing performance-based measurements.
• The organization provides for evaluation of individual, company or crew and multi-company or -crew performance through the use of performance-based measurements.
• There is a training record system that provides for analysis of training needs
• The agency maintains individual/member training records.

For Criterion 3: Training and education resources, printed and non-printed library materials, media equipment, facilities, and staff are available in sufficient quantity, relevancy, diversity and timelessness to support the agency's needs.

• Available training facilities and apparatus are provided to support the training needs of the agency.
• Instructional personnel are available to meet the needs of the agency.
• Instructional materials are current, support the training program and are accessible.
• Apparatus and equipment used for training is properly maintained in accordance with the agency's operational procedures and is readily accessible to trainers and employees
• There is a current inventory of all training equipment and resources.

For Criterion 4: Materials selected for the training program are based on agency needs.

• There is a process in place for the selection of training and educational resource materials.
• Training materials are evaluated on a continuing basis.