NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY COURSES

Arson Detection for the First Responder this 2-day course is designed specifically to provide a clear definition of the role of initial responder organizations, and to provide essential knowledge to enable them to recognize the potential of an intentionally set fire, preserve evidence, and properly report the information to appropriate officials.  The course includes the following basic topics: fire behavior, critical observations of the first responder, fire cause, scene security and evidence preservation, legal considerations, and how to report findings properly to appropriate officials.

Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts this 2-day course is designed to prepare first responder personnel to take the appropriate course of action at the the scene of a potential terrorist accident.  The course will provide students with a general understanding and recognition of terrorism, defensive considerations (biological, nuclear, incendiary, chemical and and explosive), as well as command and control issues associated with criminal incidents.  When an incident occurs, the student will be able to recognize and implement self protective measures, secure the scene, complete appropriate notifications to local, State, and Federal authorities, and assist in completing a smooth transition from emergency to recovery and termination operations.

Health and Safety Officer this 2-day course examines the Health and Safety Officer's role in identifying, evaluating, and implementing policy and procedures that affect health and safety aspects for emergency responders.  Risk analysis, wellness and other occupational safety issues will be the main emphasis of this course.

Incident Safety Officer this 2-day course examines the Safety Officer's role at emergency responses.  A specific focus on operations within an Incident Command System (ICS) as a Safety Officer is a main theme.  Response to all-hazards types of situations will be emphasized.

Leadership I: Strategies for Company Success presents the company officer with the basic leadership skills and tools needed to perform effectively in the fire service environment.  The course includes techniques and approaches to problem-solving, ways to identify and assess the needs of the company officer's subordinates, methods of running meetings effectively in the fire service environment, and decision making skills for the company officer.

Leadership II: Strategies for Personal Success provides the company officer with the basic leadership skills and tools needed to perform effectively in the fire service environment.  The course addresses ethics, use and abuse of power at the company officer level, creativity in the fire service environment, and management of the multiple roles of the company officer.

Leadership III: Strategies for Supervisory Success provides the company officer with the basic leadership skills and tools to perform effectively in the fire service environment. The course covers when and how to delegate to subordinates, assess personal leadership styles through situational leadership, discipline subordinates, and apply coaching/motivating techniques.

Principles of Building Construction: Combustible/Noncombustible these courses are designed to provide a basic understanding of how the construction type, alternative design, and materials influence a building's reaction to fire.  These courses will provide recognition of relevant information about a building before a fire, as well as fire ground "reading" of the building that will provide the ability to assess building stability, resistance to fire, and determine likely paths of fire extension.  Both courses address the professional development of a broad range of fire department positions that include firefighters who meet the qualifications for Firefighter III, company-level officers, training officers or instructors, safety officers, and code enforcement personnel.

Strategy and Tactics for Initial Company Operations is designed to meet the needs of Company Officers responsible for managing the operations of one or more companies during structural firefighting operations.  STICO is designed to develop the management skills needed by company officers to accomplish assigned tactics at structure fires.

Incident Command System for EMS in this course, students will be introduced to the concepts of EMS specific incident command through lecture and guided discussion.  They will use scenarios, case studies, graphics, audiovisuals and role-play to demonstrate understanding of the concepts.

Incident Command System introduces ICS to fire service officers and other emergency managers, who use, deploy, implement, and/or function within an incident command organization.  The interactive depictions of scenarios provide the student with practical applications of the ICS concept.

National Fire Incident Reporting Systems (NFIRS) is offered to enhance the knowledge and skills of those individuals responsible for the managing of NFIRS in their organization, and/or the training of field-level data collection and reporting staffs.  The NFIRS manager receives information about the systems capabilities, data collection and analysis, and the available reporting features.  Focus is on the higher level competencies required to train others in data entry, collection, and reporting, and to develop decision packages based on local, State, or national data and trends.