October Fire And Safety Academy Training News & Updates 

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October Fire And Public Safety Academy Training 

by ZACH MATHEWS

We’ve been made aware some people did not have access to the full content of the October Academy Training News and Updates. We are sending this message again to make sure everyone has the information they need to know. 

All Academy updates are posted to the Indiana Fire and Public Safety Academy webpage after distribution.

The Academy has been remarkably busy over the last few months. The inaugural Fire Chief Executive Training Program was a big success and a new Emergency Response Support Training Program has been implemented to assist volunteer fire departments with recruitment.

The Academy would like to welcome Zach Mathews to the team. Zach will be the Academy’s Curriculum Development Program Director and will be working to keep the state training curriculum current with NFPA standards, manage the Public Safety Leadership course and several other stand-alone leadership courses.

TRAINING NEWS:

  1. Emergency Response Support (ERS): Meets legislative requirements IC 36-8-10.5-7. This program is life in Acadia and a fire instructor must request the course for their local fire department. If your department does not have an active instructor, please reach out to your Academy program manager listed below:
  2. Fire Chief’s Executive Training Program: Meets legislative requirements IC 36-8-10.6-3-9.
    • After Jan. 1, 2022, a newly appointed fire chief of a political subdivision must successfully complete the executive training program within one (1) year of appointment.
    • Next Course Offering: Feb. 21 – 25, 2022. Please look for and enroll for this course in Acadia.
  3. Executive Leadership: Executive Leadership is being rebranded to Public Safety Leadership to reduce confusion with Indiana Fire Chief’s Academy.
    • This course is for upper management through executive leadership in five public safety disciplines: Fire, EMS, EMA, Telecommunications, and Law Enforcement.
    • To request this series to be brought to your location, please email Zach Mathews at ZMathews1@dhs.in.gov
  4. Mandatory Firefighter Training Program: Academy will sunset the Mandatory Firefighter Training program as of March 1, 2022.
    • Any new mandatory courses must be registered no later than March 1, 2022, and be concluded no later than July 1, 2022.
  5. Exam Challenges: Exam challenges webform will no longer be accepted. Instructors wishing to use the self-study method for their student(s) should apply for their course number no less than 15 days before the initial start of the self-study program. The student will be required to take the written and practical skills exams. Instructors are responsible for ensuring students obtain all Job Performance Requirements (JPRs) prior to testing.
  6. Improved Course Registration for Combined Course Requests: Firefighter I/II (FFI/FFII), Hazmat Awareness and Operations (HMA/HMO). A new option for instructors during the initial course requests will be available to select a combined registration for the HMA/HMO programs and the FFI/FFII programs. If students are brand new to the fire service and will be registering for all four programs, instructors should select the Fire Academy (FA) option for their course requests.
  7. Reminder: A course lead instructor shall be at a minimum an Instructor I and cannot evaluate and/or proctor examinations.
  • 655 IAC 1-1-5.2 Requirements for teaching certification classes
    • Authority: IC 22-14-2-7
    • Affected: IC 22-14-2-7
  • Sec. 5.2. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), the only individual who is permitted to deliver any class for certification is a lead instructor.
    • (b) The lead instructor:
      • (1) shall be certified:
        • (A) as at least an Instructor I; and
        • (B) by the board in the certification level or levels or the advanced levels of these certifications being taught; and
      • (2) may use one (1) or more subject matter specialists to assist in the delivery of the class

NEW TRAINING OFFERED BY THE ACADEMY:

  1. Communicating with Elected Leaders: (Coming Soon)
    • Pre-communication: building genuine relationships, understanding the audience and stakeholders, logical reasoning, and how to build a sound argument.
    • Communication: understand the Socratic method of dialog and how to connect with your audience using passion, emotion, credibility, and logic (Pathos, Ethos, and Logos). Learn to maximize your message with non-verbal communication and deliver an efficient and informative message without a fact overload.
    • Post communication: staying apolitical, how to take advantage of staying on message. Taking your message public, learn how to take your message to the public yourself or by using a Public Information Officer (PIO). Trust and relationship maintenance – learn to maintain the relationships you built with the elected leader and how to manage interference from others.
  2. Mitigated Speech: (Available Now)
    • Recognize mitigated speech when it occurs,
    • Identify the six levels of mitigated speech, and
    • Understand how mitigated speech can be both beneficial and detrimental.
  3. Core Values: (Available Now)
    • Develop a deeper understanding of how every agency has a set of core values whether recognized or not;
    • Learn the difference between high, medium and low core values;
    • Learn to establish a group of subject matter experts within your agency to either embrace the current core values or develop new ones; and
    • Learn the importance of weaving core values into every aspect of your decision-making process and agency.
  4. Body Language: (Available Now)
    • Learn how an office environment can be a barrier for communication,
    • Understand how body language affects communication,
    • Understand relationships between body language and verbal communication,
    • Learn to use body language cues to be a more effective communicator, and
    • Increase your ability to gather more accurate information.

If you or your fire department have an interest in hosting any of the above courses, please contact Zach Mathews at ZMathews1@dhs.in.gov.

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