NVFC Releases Equipment Management Template and Training

September 24, 2012

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), through a Fire Prevention and Safety grant, has developed an equipment management template for fire and EMS personnel to track their equipment and apparatus maintenance schedules. The NVFC has also developed four webinars covering a variety of equipment management and maintenance topics. Click here to access these tools today in the Health and Safety Resources section of the NVFC web site.

The webinars and template supplement the NVFC’s Volunteer Firefighter Health and Safety Priorities. Set forth in a series of B.E.S.T. Practices for the fire and emergency services, the priorities are divided into four main focus areas: Behavior, Equipment, Standards and Codes, and Training. Proper use and maintenance of equipment is a critical component of firefighter and emergency responder safety.

Built into a user-friendly spreadsheet format, the equipment management template can be downloaded and customized for your department. The template covers topics from SCBA inspection to EMS supply maintenance to check schedules for apparatus. This tool helps first responders ensure that all equipment, gear, and apparatus meet to safety standards through timely maintenance and replacement.

The four webinars focus on different aspects of the fire department equipment life cycle. Whether you are a veteran department leader or a new recruit, the courses offer the latest information on today’s equipment. Training includes Proper Equipment Management, Equipment Use and Maintenance: Developing an Effective Respiratory Protection Program, Retiring Equipment, and Funding Equipment. Courses were led by industry experts from Globe, Rosenbauer America, W. S. Darley, and the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute.

Visit the Health and Safety Resources section of the NVFC web site for these tools and more. Find more training opportunities at www.nvfc.org/training/education/training/education .