The American fire service has done a marginal job in preparing its young leaders to manage the demands that come with making relatively benign personnel decisions, much less coping with major catastrophes. Many departments lack training and effective succession and mentoring planning. Instead experience is accumulated on the job and promotions are a right of passage.

In Peoria, Ariz., population growth forced relatively inexperienced firefighters to accept leadership positions without first receiving the tools necessary to foster success. Once promoted, many began fashioning their legacies through trial and error.

After accepting his position in 2001, Fire Chief Robert McKibben sought to fill this leadership vacuum. He felt strongly that it is the duty of the fire service to provide the best possible training for those who aspire to leadership positions.

By December 2002, the Peoria Regional Fire Battalion Chief Academy was established to help bridge the gap between the traditional tasks and responsibilities of a firefighter and the emerging expectations of a fire officer. It uses industry best practices in personnel supervision, emergency management, human resources, and technology to help new or prospective chief officers hone their leadership and management skills.

Seed money for the academy was funded through the Peoria Fire Department's existing operating budget. Tuition was free to the approximately 18 attendants, some of who came from neighboring fire departments. Now the academy is self-sustaining with a budget of approximately $15,000 and a per-student charge of $350. The program quickly fills to its maximum capacity of 50 students.

A wide range of specialists have addressed the academy, including seasoned fire chiefs and city managers, military leaders, sports executives, university professors and news reporters. The academy embraces the notion that leaders are best served by a diverse range of subject-matter experts, regardless of their affiliations. Arizona State University Professor Christine Muldoon and Phoenix's KPNX-TV 12 former anchor Julie Watters each have shared the importance of effective communication. Jerry Colangelo, owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks, and Air Force Brigadier Gen. Robin Rand, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, both spoke on the importance of effective leadership — a topic that clearly crosses many disciplines.

Fire service speakers have included retired Mesa (Ariz.) Fire Chief Dennis Compton, retired Los Angeles Bttn. Chief John Mittendorf, Renton (Wash.) Fire Chief I. David Daniels, and retired Phoenix Fire Chief Alan Brunacini. Author and retired Deputy Chief Vincent Dunn came from as far away as New York to present.

Two years ago the Peoria Fire Department collaborated with Glendale Community College to set the curriculum so it would meet the necessary academic standards to become an accredited course. The academy is now part of the GCC's Fire Science Program, and attendees can receive three credits toward an associate's degree.

In 2005, an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Peoria and GCC allowed the academy to receive the credit hours for each of its participants in exchange for the use of a city-owned facility and the cadre of instructors made available through the leadership course. The deferment created three winning situations: the college increases its enrollment and subsequently its federal funding; the students receive credit; and the academy can now invest all of the program fees on new instructors and expanded curricula. The stipulations also extend to include all city of Peoria departments.

Outside the Valley of the Sun, attendees have come from as far away as Yuma, Flagstaff, Cottonwood, Sedona, Payson, Apache Junction, Quartzsite and Chino Valley. In all, firefighters from 26 different agencies have attended, including members of the military stationed at Luke Air Force Base. The academy's reputation has spread beyond the borders of Arizona; departments from Washington are interested in enrolling their officers. A contingent of Peoria chief officers will be taking the show on the road. Firefighters will soon be gathering in Missouri to take part in their own leadership training modeled after Peoria's academy.

Although attendees of the academy will grow in their knowledge and understanding of how to become a strong leader, their interests are secondary to the needs of the community they serve. Residents benefit from the kind of strong decision-making that comes from an education delivered by an experienced and diversified instructor base. The academy's contribution is measured in terms of lives saved and property protected.

The program fills a leadership void in a profession where tradition runs hot. The academy will continue to seek out healthy business practices, innovative approaches, and embrace diversity to strengthen a standard from which the residents of Peoria can be proud.

Mark Nichols is the training chief for the Peoria (Ariz.) Fire Department. He has earned an associate's degree in fire science, a bachelor's in public administration, and a master's in fire service administration. He has served on the Glendale Community College adjunct faculty since 1995 and has been an instructor for Arizona State Fire Marshal since 1997. Nichols is a member of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fire Academy Alumni Association, and the International Association of Professional Fire Fighters. He has been a member of the Maricopa County Community College Educational Council Advisory Committee since 2000, an Arizona State Training Committee Board Member since 1999 and the Arizona State Fire School Program Coordinator since 1999.