Submit a Request to Host Free NVFC Training Courses

April 8, 2013

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) will be delivering a limited number of free in-person trainings throughout 2013. NVFC instructors will deliver the chosen program(s) at a fire department, fire academy, or other location. Courses are two- to four-hour sessions and may be combined based on the needs of the department or organization.

Please note that there is limited availability for these trainings and all requests cannot be guaranteed. The NVFC will evaluate each request and determine which opportunities are feasible.

Interested parties should complete the NVFC’s training request form at: https://nvfc.wufoo.com/forms/nvfc-inperson-training-request/

Available training sessions are as follows:

From Volunteer to Combination: Making the Transition (2 hours)
This course discusses the challenges of transitioning from a volunteer to a combination department. Topics covered include: merging departments, personnel conflicts, adjusting to the presence of paid staff, managing growth and increased call volume, and recruitment and retention challenges.

Incident Safety Officer (ISO) Training (4 hours)
This is a four-hour course divided into the following modules: Overview of the Incident Safety Officer, Communications, Safety and Incident Response Management, and Application. The curriculum follows the NVFC’s B.E.S.T. Practices (Behavior, Equipment, Standards and Codes, Training) and ends with a student evaluation component. At the end of the course, the student will have a general overview of the duties, responsibilities, and safety concerns of the ISO. The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) will provide CEUs for the course. This is not a certification program.

B.E.S.T. Safety Management Training (4 hours)
This course covers each of the B.E.S.T. Practices for the volunteer fire and emergency services, the priorities are divided into four main focus areas:

• Behavior – Supporting the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of all personnel; operating all apparatus and personal vehicles to highest safety standards; fireground accountability.
• Equipment – Providing and requiring the proper use of full personal protective equipment; maintaining all equipment based on established safety recommendations.
• Standards and Codes – Encouraging the use of all smoke, fire detection, and fire suppression devices, including fire sprinkler systems, in all structures; meeting all national safety standards and fire safety codes.
• Training – Utilizing fire training programs that conform to the highest professional standards; operating a safe fire training ground at all times; establishing, maintaining, and delivering fire safety programs.

Starting and Implementing a Fire Corps Program (2 hours)
This course provides information on how to successfully implement and grow a Fire Corps program. Participants will learn about various volunteer management practices and be provided with sample documents and tips to help sustain and further their program.

Wildland Fire Assessment Program (4 hours)
This course teaches how to perform pre-wildland fire home assessments to mitigate community exposure and decrease the risk of loss of life and property in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). The WFAP program includes a four-part training series. Each module lasts one hour and covers topics including understanding the WUI problem, identifying the zone, evaluating the home, and available resources. A supplemental guide and online resource center accompany these courses to ensure departments are equipped with the proper information and necessary tools to create fire adapted communities.

Training the Next Generation (4 hours)
Future first responders are currently involved in their fire departments as junior firefighters. Program advisors are tasked with providing safe, effective training for these youth while also developing leadership and teamwork skills that will help them on the fireground. This four-hour presentation, led by a Fire Chief/junior firefighter program advisor, covers being a mentor to youth, behavioral health and stress management for teens, and health and safety standards for junior firefighter program training.

Fire Corps in Public Education (1 hour)
This course provides information and activities that can be used to teach participants how Fire Corps members can assist fire departments with fire safety education programming and activities. The workshop will highlight best practices and provide information and tips on training, screening, and monitoring volunteers specifically for fire safety programming and activities.

Recruitment and Retention in the Volunteer Emergency Services (3 hours)
This course discusses the challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteers and focuses on how to attract new volunteers while maintaining adequate staffing levels.
 
Grant Writing for the Emergency Services (2 hours)
This course educates volunteer fire and emergency services personnel on how to write a successful grant narrative in an effort to secure funding. It also provides an overview of available grant programs and offers examples of successful grant narratives.
 
Leadership (2 hours)
This course examines leadership qualities and ethics and discusses how management can begin to build a foundation for successful succession planning.