Volunteer Firefighter Academy

1
Is there a need for a Panhandle Volunteer Fire
Academy?
2
Is there a need?
Statistics received from State Fireman Fire
Marshals Association as of April 2009 covering
31 counties of Panhandle Fireman and Fire
Marshals Association
According to Texas Forestry Service Fire
Directory Statistics there are 1975 volunteers
from this same area.
Figures do not include the additional counties
added to proposal.
3
SFFMA Certification Program

• A total of 492 volunteers out of 1975 are
  certified by SFFMA to fight live fires?
• Less than 25
• Of approximately 124 departments only 61 are
  active in SFFMA certification program.
• A little over 1/2 (1081 firefighters) of the 1975
  total firefighters are participating
• 132 Level II (NFPA I Instructors)

Figures do not include the additional counties
added to proposal.
4
After reviewing these statistics I doubt anyone
would dispute volunteer certification needs
attention.
5
What are some of the options?

• Continue leaving it to each individual department
  or firefighter
• Attend a career fire academy or online school
• Allow the State to dictate the methods such as
  the recent HB 3390 (Harper - Bailey)
• Consider a Panhandle Regional Volunteer Fire
  Academy

6
Leaving it to Individual or Department

• Never ending cycle of training new recruits
• Seasoned FF have little chance to advance
• Educational resources are limited in dept.
• Varying degrees of training across region
• Some dept never promote training
• State seems to forget the Panhandle
• Limited time for training as volunteers

7
Career Academy or Online

• Career academy is expensive but effective
• Career academy usually requires volunteer to
  leave employment for attendance
• Online classes are expensive and less effective
• Online classes may well address the knowledge
  base but can not effectively test the skills
  needed for firefighting

8
State Mandated Certification

• Guaranteed to be
• EXPENSIVE,
• INEFFECTIVE
• not to mention
• BUREAUCRATIC!
• Who really thinks we need more government?

9
Volunteer Firefighter Academy

• To provide training resources to the 124 fire
  departments of 38 counties of the
• Panhandle Fireman and Fire Marshals Association,
  
• Sweetwater Creek Association
• and
• Panhandle Emergency Response System.

10
Academy Region

• 36,853 square miles
• 38 counties
• 775,972 population (2007)
• 14 of Texas Landmass
• Approximately 3 of Texas population

Dallam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree,
Lipscomb Hartley, Moore, Hutchinson, Roberts,
Hemphill Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray,
Wheeler Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Donley,
Collingsworth Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Briscoe,
Hall, Childress Bailey, Lamb, Hale, Floyd,
Motley,King, Cochran, Hockley, Lubbock, Dickens,
and Crosby
11
Fire Departments

• 124 Fire Departments
• 3055 Firefighters
• 6 Paid or Career Dept.
• 13 Combination Dept
• 105 Full Volunteer Dept
• 690 Career or Paid FF
• 2365 Volunteer FF

Figures are from Texas Forestry Department
Summary Site
Figures are calculated from April 2009
estimates
12
Fire Departments
13
Here is the proposal

• Develop Regional Volunteer Fire Academy
• Divide Region into 6 sections
• Provide Curriculum Materials for instructors and
  students
• Use Mid West Texas Academy as template
• Use Level II Instructors (NFPA Instructor I)
• Rotate classes from dept to dept for access
• Coordinate with estimated 25 member
  administrative board

14
Administration

• PFFMA four zone Vice Presidents
• One representative from each TFS and NPS
• Two representatives each from PERS and Sweetwater
  Associations
• Two certification coordinators assigned to the
  Panhandle from SFFMA
• One representative from each Area School (Canyon,
  Higgins, Floydada, Lubbock, Wolfforth)
• One representative from each Sector (determined
  by participating departments in each sector) to
  act as master coordinator for each sector
• At least One Career or Paid Firefighter

15
Administration Details

• Administration Board Develops Subcommittees for
  Operation, Finance, Logistics and Planning
• Establish 6 sectors for coordination and
  implementation
• Board reviews course details and standards
• 6 Master Coordinators provide train the trainer
  and coordination to each sector accordingly
• Instructors provide instruction and skills
  evaluation to students
• Administrative Board assures compliance with
  current training standards

16
Begin Introductory Course 1st

• Concentrate on new recruits and those with little
  or no preparation for live fire training
• Provide a foundation of certification for further
  development
• Use Mid-West Texas Academy curriculum already
  accepted by Texas Engineering Extension Service
  for accreditation

17
INTRODUCTORY FIREFIGHTER TRAINING

• The SFFMA states, This level of certification
  was established to meet or exceed minimum
  requirements under the 1992 edition of NFPA 1403
  for the novice firefighter, and to ensure
  training objectives for Live Fire Training.

18
Proposed CURRICULUM

• The proposed curriculum satisfies 97 training
  objective hours, which exceeds the SFFMA minimum
  recommendation by 23 hours in the Introductory
  Firefighter Course.
• The proposed curriculum is patterned after the
  Mid-West Texas Association Volunteer Academy and
  endorsed by Texas Extension Education Service.

NOTE Building Construction is an Advanced
Certification but is essential in understanding
structure fires.
19
Added Curriculum Includes

• Ground Cover
• First Aid CPR
• Courage to be Safe
• Introduction to ICS (NIMS 100)
• Building Construction

NOTE Building Construction is an Advanced
Certification but is essential in understanding
structure fires. It is also required in NFPA
1001 Fireman I. .
20
The additional 23 hours are suggested for a
number of reasons

• 1) The skills learned in the additional hours are
  required to complete SFFMA recommended training
  objectives.
• 2) The objectives are easily covered while
  teaching the SFFMA recommendations.
• 3) It is a simple fact that Firefighters in
  rural, remote areas are often required to perform
  tasks that would normally be performed by a more
  experienced individual due to a lack of
  additional personnel. Therefore, the additional
  training is essential for the safety of all
  involved.

21
Completion will satisfy these Basic Objectives

• Section 1, Fire Department Organization
• Section 2, Forcible Entry
• Section 4, Fire Hose Practices
• Section 6, Fire Streams
• Section 8, Ventilation Practices

• Section 15, Fire Behavior (Fire Science)
• Section 23, Safety Protective Clothing
• Section 27, SCBA
• Section 28, Ropes
• Courage To Be Safe
• Building Construction

22
How does it work?

• Enlist a minimum of 6 registered Fire Instructor
  I and two alternatives per sector
• Conduct a train the trainer for instructors
  seminar
• Elect one instructor per sector as a coordinator
  for that sector
• Begin considering sector by sector scheduling,
  staggering courses if possible

23
Sector Implementation

• Each sector coordinator should coordinate host
  departments for classes and scheduling
• Coordinator should ensure that proper equipment
  for classes will be available at each host
  department per objectives
• Instructors should be assigned scheduled
• Begin enlisting students and registration
• Conduct classes by rotating host from department
  to department

24
Proposed Class Implementation

• The curriculum will be taught on alternating
  weekends for five weekends of classes
• Each class day will be 9 hours (3) 3 hour
  segments on a Saturday
• Students should be expected to read appropriate
  areas of instruction prior to class as assigned
  from the curriculum
• Instructors will evaluate students knowledge
  through skills and evolutions

25
METHOD

• Student department would be responsible for
  providing all PPE and, SCBA when required. It is
  anticipated that the student manuals will be
  checked out on a loan basis such as a library
  loan, or students may purchase the manuals.
  Students utilizing the loan program must agree to
  replacement if manuals are returned unusable.

26
Not to Compete with Area Schools

• It should be stated, the proposed Course is not
  in any fashion or form intended to replace, or,
  compete with any existing Firefighter Training
  Program but to compliment and expand upon
  current training programs by providing
  recommended preparatory training.

27
Implementation

• Divide the 38 county region into 6 sectors
• Provide curriculum materials and presentation
  resources to each sector
• Enlist Level II instructors from each sector
• Provide train the trainer classes of the
  curriculum to instructors prior to implementation
• Utilize a website for administration,
  registration of instructors, students etc.

Http//www.panhandlefireacademy.com
28
Potential Funding

• Assistance to Firefighters Grant
• Amarillo Area Foundation
• Contingency Private enterprise
• Contingency Other foundations grants
• Minimal tuition from students to insure
  continuance of program
• Reimbursement of qualified courses from Texas
  Forestry Service 2604

29
Funding Details

• Assistance to Firefighters Grant 120,868
• 20 Match 24,173 AAF
• Recurring Costs 28,720
• Student Tuition per course 110 - 125
• Minimum Students for course 12
• Maximum Students for course 50
• Tuition provides ongoing academy
• Some scholarships will be available

30
AFG Purchases

• 300 Student Manuals
• 300 Skills Manuals
• 36 Instructor Resource Kits including CD
• Train the Trainer Coordination
• 4 Professional Advancement Seminars
• 6 Laptop Computers
• Shipping Handling

• 6 LCD Presentation Projectors screens
• 24 Easels for flipchart
• 48 easel pads
• Office Supplies
• Presentation Software
• Instructor reimbursement
• 6 Digital Camcorders
• Digital Editing Software

31
Annual Recurring Costs

• Train the Trainer Conference Coordination all 6
  sectors 2700
• Professional Advancement Seminars 8000
• Easel Pads and Easels 1920
• Office Supplies 1700
• Instructor reimbursement 14,400
• TOTAL Annual Recurring Cost 28,720

32
Carrying it Forward

• Once the academy has been offered for the
  Introductory Course in all sectors, then a Basic
  curriculum will be developed to complete that
  level.
• As the region moves forward with each level a new
  curriculum will be developed to advance all
  levels of certifications.

33
Benefits

• Certified Volunteer Firefighters throughout the
  Panhandle.
• Enhance integration during mutual aid
• Academy can provide Fireman I and II to
  departments adjacent to the Panhandle in New
  Mexico, and Oklahoma
• Assist in recruitment of volunteers
• Enhance professionalism
• Enhance standards of operation

34
Cost / Benefit Analysis

• Considering 775,972 residents and a total of
  120,868 for the project it this is a cost of 15
  cents per resident for untold benefits of
  firefighter training
• On a per volunteer firefighter basis the cost is
  less than 51 per volunteer firefighter
• What other program do you know of that can
  compare in a cost /benefit analysis?

35
What can you do?

• Fill out the department participation assessment
  survey form
• Help spread the word to other departments and
  firefighters
• Encourage all members to participate
• If you would like a presentation of the project
  to your department we will gladly schedule one
  but please invite surrounding departments

36
Keeping UP to Date
The Panhandle Shield www.PanhandleShield.com Pan
handle Emergency Resource System
(PERS) www.txpers.com Sweetwater Creek
Firefighters Association (SCFA) www.SweetwaterCree
kAssociation.com Academy website
www.panhandlefireacademy.com Ron Antalek, Safety
Officer Spearman Volunteer Fire Department (806)
659 2045 day [phone] cell
37
Final Thought

• Why should volunteer firefighters be exempt from
  certification requirements when Police, EMS and
  Career Firefighters must have certifications?
• QUESTIONS?