We often hear that “you should learn something new each day”. Sound advise for those instructors and firefighters who are true lifelong learners. If we are not training and learning regularly then we are quite likely just existing as we always have. The status quo, so to speak. When it comes to the fire service, as firefighters, instructors, and officers we should be leaders within our organization and industry pushing the bar on our performance and service to others.
Your departments training programs require some key strategies to accomplish your primary goal – which is to impart knowledge and develop skills for your firefighters to best respond and serve in their communities.
Successful training strategies require a shared vision, and the setting of common goals for instructors and firefighters. Ongoing analysis of training programing is required to ensure success:
- What is strong with your current training programs and resources - (Strengths)
- Identify what can be improved on within current programs - (Weaknesses)
- Fostering and development of local teamwork & support from partners - (Opportunities)
- Look inside & out of the department; what should be reviewed or changed - (Threats)
Establishing your training strategy should be based on your needs, goals, objectives and timelines. You should work to fill any gaps identified in the analysis of your existing programs. Many have shared great lessons on their training strategies and processes, which you may want to consider when developing your programs. Once your training strategy and plan is set, executed, and on track it’s a matter of taking feedback, monitoring, reviewing, and completing needed revisions or updates.
Providing the students and instructors with a systematic, standardized, consistent, objective based process is key to any fire departments training success.
In our area (Tottenham, Ontario), several departments have opted to augment training and PD & T partnerships with technology support throughout the departments curriculums. A blended learning and risk management system with sharable content 24/7/365 was a best fit for our fire department.
Communication and the availability of information and data is key to training success. Having a learning management system as part of your training strategy provides your instructors and officers with a simple and effective tool to communicate with your firefighters, manage training material, and track completion of required training. It is an excellent tool to address your compliance requirements and support risk management.
When developing your training strategy, you may want to also consider partnerships with other fire departments or community organizations. In our area we have been able to partner with some of our local fire departments on provincially accredited training. We are also working with an industry partner to build a joint training facility. This partnership supports the training objectives of both organizations – creating a well-developed training facility that will ensure ongoing success for our training programs.
Your success in training is based on many aspects; strong communication, structure, information, and shared goals. New ideas and partnerships can amplify any fire departments training and response to the next level.
One strategy and set of goals does not fit all departments so develop your plans on the short, medium, and long-term using proven processes that your department can adapt to and then train to your required schedule and standards.
The 2018 ISFSI Fall Instructor Development Conference is set and will be a great opportunity to learn and develop together as a group of instructor peers in the fire service. I’m looking forward to the learning sessions during the conference. The value and importance of a nugget of knowledge passed on from an Instructor’s journey cannot be underestimated. Conferences are an excellent opportunity to discuss the fire service, our training, and to learn along with the attending and presenting Instructors.
I am looking forward to meeting new instructors, refresh some concepts, and especially find a nugget or two on new strategies and skills at the Fall Instructor Development Conference this September in Tinley Park, Illinois.