FIR DB II

FIR 2302, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

3. Recognize the importance of standards as they apply to health and safety. 3.1 Identify safety and health concerns within a fire and emergency services department or agency. 3.2 Discuss methods of improving safety and health within a fire and emergency services

department or agency.

4. Recognize the need for accountability related to health and safety. 4.1 Identify professional development opportunities that focus on improving safety and health within

a fire and emergency services department or agency. Required Unit Resources Chapter 4: Eliminating Unsafe Acts Chapter 5: Implementing Training and Certification Standards Unit Lesson

Introduction Please view the Unit II Video. Closed captioning will be available once you access the video. Being a member of the fire and emergency service is a dangerous business. The job of a firefighter is frequently listed as one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. Like other industries, the fire service has developed standards to improve the safety and health of firefighters. In Unit II, we will discuss the importance of standards as it pertains to the safety and health of firefighters.

Training and Certification Standards In the age of all-hazard emergency response, many fire and rescue agencies provide a myriad of services including fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, hazardous materials intervention, and technical rescue to name a few. There are various laws, regulations, and codes that govern the training requirements and provision of services. Many of these exist to increase the health and safety of the providers and recipients of the services. For a person starting out in the industry, the training requirements are varied and dependent on the state, region, or other governing organization. Although there is a lack of standardization across the country, the industry has improved in developing standards by which different agencies and governing bodies can tailor their training to meet or exceed. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) develops consensus standards for the fire service. Although the number of training hours may vary, initial training and certification programs are designed to meet the NFPA 1001, Standard on Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications for Fire Fighter I and II. By adhering to this minimum standard, it is the first step toward improving the health and safety of fire service personnel. Initial training programs are developed to provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in the job performance requirements in the standard. New recruits must be able to demonstrate the ability to meet the standard to become certified. This is one of many consensus standards that affects the health and safety of fire service professionals.

UNIT II STUDY GUIDE Professional Development

FIR 2302, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

One issue that remains prevalent in the fire service is the difference in the initial training requirements between career and volunteer firefighters. Some states have different requirements for initial certification, where others make no distinction between the two. In either case, it is important to recognize that the training provided in the initial certification process, however long, is rarely enough. Firefighters operating at emergency incidents must be trained to recognize hazardous conditions and dangerous situations and react accordingly. According to Zimmerman (2021), no matter what career field individuals find themselves in, they will likely need more than just a few weeks of training to gain the ability to make good decisions about the operations of the organization they have joined. Although there may be mandated continuing education requirements for some of the additional certifications that firefighters may hold, such as emergency medical technician or hazardous materials technician, it is common for there to be few, if any, recertification requirements for firefighter certifications. Some states have no requirements, while in other states, if you remain active within a fire department, your certification will remain current. If we are going to improve the safety and health of firefighters, there must be a commitment to continuous professional development on the part of the individual and the agency. Firefighter service professionals must be aware of new and emerging hazards, threats, and technologies as it has been acknowledged that fire and emergency services will likely experience a lot more change than it has seen in the past (Center for Public Safety [CPSE] & International City/County Management Association [ICMA], 2020). We cannot rely on the information that we learned in the fire academy to be relevant throughout entire career and entire career. There must be a standardized process of continuous learning and professional development. As greater demands are expected of fire service professionals, future leaders must be willing and able to grow and change to meet these new challenges (Waldo, 2016).

Stopping Unsafe Acts with Professional Development According to Zimmerman (2021), empowerment “can be described as granting permission to subordinates to exceed their normal authority in an effort to better achieve organizational goals” (p. 75). Personnel at all levels of an organization must be empowered to not only stop unsafe acts but must also be empowered to create an organizational culture that promotes safety, health, and innovation. It is important that fire and emergency services organizations start recruiting individuals that are willing and able to quickly respond to changes that are coming in the field as we begin to look towards the future and leave the past behind (CPSE & ICMA, 2020). Stopping unsafe acts is not limited to the fireground. There are many significant issues affecting the health and safety of fire and emergency services personnel that are being addressed throughout the country. Issues such as wearing seatbelts, cardiac-related health issues, occupational cancer, suicide, and other mental health related issues demand our attention. What will be needed is for fire service leaders to empower their employees to develop solutions and challenge the status quo. Solutions to these issues will require additional education and training. When looking for fire service professional development, the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy is a great place to start. Located in Emmitsburg, Maryland, the National Fire Academy (NFA) provides informational resources for your department and your community. The NFA also provides training and educational resources for the fire and emergency services, including residential and online training programs. There are many different approaches to standardizing professional development in the fire service. One approach is the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Professional Development Model. This model incorporates four pillars of professional development: training, education, experience, and self-development. The National Professional Development Matrix was developed as a tool to standardize fire service professional development by incorporating competencies from several different areas into a comprehensive model. To learn more, visit the National Professional Development Matrix webpage located within the U.S. Fire Administration’s website. One other approach to standardizing professional development is professional credentialing and agency accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). More information about credentialing can be found by visiting the CPSE website and searching for credentialing.

FIR 2302, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

Conclusion The role of the fire and emergency services will continue to evolve. Regardless of where you are in your career, this evolution will require you to expand your existing knowledge and be open to new ideas. As the fire environment in today’s buildings continues to change, we can no longer rely on the fireground skills we acquired years ago to meet the needs of tomorrow. Additionally, the demands of the customer will continue to be more complex and varied with issues such as communicable disease being at the fore. If we are to remain relevant as a profession, we must evolve as a profession to meet the needs of the whole community (CPSE, 2020).

References Center for Public Safety Excellence. (2020). 21st century fire and emergency services. International

City/County Management Association. https://www.cpse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/21st- Century-Fire-and-Emergency-Services-White-Paper-Final-07.15.20.pdf

Waldo, J. (2020). Professional development and credentialing within the fire service. CPSE Corner. Center for

Public Safety Excellence. https://www.cpse.org/2020/06/16/professional-development-and- credentialing-within-the-fire-service/

Zimmerman, D. (2021). Fire fighter safety and survival (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284206128

FIR 2302, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

3. Recognize the importance of standards as they apply to health and safety. 3.1 Identify safety and health concerns within a fire and emergency services department or agency. 3.2 Discuss methods of improving safety and health within a fire and emergency services

department or agency.

4. Recognize the need for accountability related to health and safety. 4.1 Identify professional development opportunities that focus on improving safety and health within

a fire and emergency services department or agency. Required Unit Resources Chapter 4: Eliminating Unsafe Acts Chapter 5: Implementing Training and Certification Standards Unit Lesson

Introduction Please view the Unit II Video. Closed captioning will be available once you access the video. Being a member of the fire and emergency service is a dangerous business. The job of a firefighter is frequently listed as one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. Like other industries, the fire service has developed standards to improve the safety and health of firefighters. In Unit II, we will discuss the importance of standards as it pertains to the safety and health of firefighters.

Training and Certification Standards In the age of all-hazard emergency response, many fire and rescue agencies provide a myriad of services including fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, hazardous materials intervention, and technical rescue to name a few. There are various laws, regulations, and codes that govern the training requirements and provision of services. Many of these exist to increase the health and safety of the providers and recipients of the services. For a person starting out in the industry, the training requirements are varied and dependent on the state, region, or other governing organization. Although there is a lack of standardization across the country, the industry has improved in developing standards by which different agencies and governing bodies can tailor their training to meet or exceed. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) develops consensus standards for the fire service. Although the number of training hours may vary, initial training and certification programs are designed to meet the NFPA 1001, Standard on Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications for Fire Fighter I and II. By adhering to this minimum standard, it is the first step toward improving the health and safety of fire service personnel. Initial training programs are developed to provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in the job performance requirements in the standard. New recruits must be able to demonstrate the ability to meet the standard to become certified. This is one of many consensus standards that affects the health and safety of fire service professionals.

UNIT II STUDY GUIDE Professional Development

FIR 2302, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

One issue that remains prevalent in the fire service is the difference in the initial training requirements between career and volunteer firefighters. Some states have different requirements for initial certification, where others make no distinction between the two. In either case, it is important to recognize that the training provided in the initial certification process, however long, is rarely enough. Firefighters operating at emergency incidents must be trained to recognize hazardous conditions and dangerous situations and react accordingly. According to Zimmerman (2021), no matter what career field individuals find themselves in, they will likely need more than just a few weeks of training to gain the ability to make good decisions about the operations of the organization they have joined. Although there may be mandated continuing education requirements for some of the additional certifications that firefighters may hold, such as emergency medical technician or hazardous materials technician, it is common for there to be few, if any, recertification requirements for firefighter certifications. Some states have no requirements, while in other states, if you remain active within a fire department, your certification will remain current. If we are going to improve the safety and health of firefighters, there must be a commitment to continuous professional development on the part of the individual and the agency. Firefighter service professionals must be aware of new and emerging hazards, threats, and technologies as it has been acknowledged that fire and emergency services will likely experience a lot more change than it has seen in the past (Center for Public Safety [CPSE] & International City/County Management Association [ICMA], 2020). We cannot rely on the information that we learned in the fire academy to be relevant throughout entire career and entire career. There must be a standardized process of continuous learning and professional development. As greater demands are expected of fire service professionals, future leaders must be willing and able to grow and change to meet these new challenges (Waldo, 2016).

Stopping Unsafe Acts with Professional Development According to Zimmerman (2021), empowerment “can be described as granting permission to subordinates to exceed their normal authority in an effort to better achieve organizational goals” (p. 75). Personnel at all levels of an organization must be empowered to not only stop unsafe acts but must also be empowered to create an organizational culture that promotes safety, health, and innovation. It is important that fire and emergency services organizations start recruiting individuals that are willing and able to quickly respond to changes that are coming in the field as we begin to look towards the future and leave the past behind (CPSE & ICMA, 2020). Stopping unsafe acts is not limited to the fireground. There are many significant issues affecting the health and safety of fire and emergency services personnel that are being addressed throughout the country. Issues such as wearing seatbelts, cardiac-related health issues, occupational cancer, suicide, and other mental health related issues demand our attention. What will be needed is for fire service leaders to empower their employees to develop solutions and challenge the status quo. Solutions to these issues will require additional education and training. When looking for fire service professional development, the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy is a great place to start. Located in Emmitsburg, Maryland, the National Fire Academy (NFA) provides informational resources for your department and your community. The NFA also provides training and educational resources for the fire and emergency services, including residential and online training programs. There are many different approaches to standardizing professional development in the fire service. One approach is the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Professional Development Model. This model incorporates four pillars of professional development: training, education, experience, and self-development. The National Professional Development Matrix was developed as a tool to standardize fire service professional development by incorporating competencies from several different areas into a comprehensive model. To learn more, visit the National Professional Development Matrix webpage located within the U.S. Fire Administration’s website. One other approach to standardizing professional development is professional credentialing and agency accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). More information about credentialing can be found by visiting the CPSE website and searching for credentialing.

FIR 2302, Principles of Fire and Emergency Services Safety and Survival 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title

Conclusion The role of the fire and emergency services will continue to evolve. Regardless of where you are in your career, this evolution will require you to expand your existing knowledge and be open to new ideas. As the fire environment in today’s buildings continues to change, we can no longer rely on the fireground skills we acquired years ago to meet the needs of tomorrow. Additionally, the demands of the customer will continue to be more complex and varied with issues such as communicable disease being at the fore. If we are to remain relevant as a profession, we must evolve as a profession to meet the needs of the whole community (CPSE, 2020).

References Center for Public Safety Excellence. (2020). 21st century fire and emergency services. International

City/County Management Association. https://www.cpse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/21st- Century-Fire-and-Emergency-Services-White-Paper-Final-07.15.20.pdf

Waldo, J. (2020). Professional development and credentialing within the fire service. CPSE Corner. Center for

Public Safety Excellence. https://www.cpse.org/2020/06/16/professional-development-and- credentialing-within-the-fire-service/

Zimmerman, D. (2021). Fire fighter safety and survival (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284206128