Sorta What I have Been Thinkin'

[FireMedic049]

I see value in locally delivered and locally relevant training too. However, the discussion has never been exclusively about rural volunteers and locally relevant training should be taught in conjunction with a standardized entry level training program, not in place of one.

That is the issue with standardized training. Rural firefighters do not need the level of skill and knowledge that suburban and urban firefighters do as their building stock is often limited. Additionally, they need far more knowledge that most suburban and urban firefighters in specific areas such as brush and wildland operations, rural water operations and specialized firefighting such as farm operations. That is my biggest issue with FFI- It's an attempt at a one size fits all basic class in an enviroment where one size fits all simply does not work.

Right, that's why it is incumbent upon each department to provide additional training in those areas that a "basic class" doesn't cover or doesn't cover well enough.

What happens if "exterior" and/or "support" type certifications are created, are you saying that there would have to be a different standard for "rural", "suburban" and "urban" areas since there would be differences in what would be needed from these people in each setting?

I would love to see "Rural FFI". More emphasis and discussion on wildland. More emphasis on rural water. Less emphasis on operations in some buildings more commonly found in suburban and urban environments, especially in the illustrations. I think that would be a truly wonderful thing.

What if a department covers or responds to more than one type of area? For example, one of my prior departments covered a 100 sq mile area consisting of an urban area, numerous suburban areas and a large portion was rural. Would a person in that department need to take 3 classes?

And for all practical purposes, there is an urban FFI. FDNY, Boston, LA and probably every other major cities rookie academy is basically urban FFI. I doubt there is much discussion on rural water, or farm buildings, or a bunch of other stuff found almost exclusively in the rural and light suburban world. I know the rookie academies in the neighboring two cities discuss very little if anything about rural water and brush fire operations.

I suppose you could look at it that way, though the major city in my area's fire academy graduates finish with EMT, FF1 & FF2 certs along with a number of other ones plus training on the department's equipment, procedures, etc. That would seen to be well beyond what we are talking about.

So then what exactly was he "dead wrong" about because I'm not seeing a very strong rebuttal from you?

In his opinion I'm not doing much for the fire service. That's his opinion.

True, but you pretty much haven't said anything to show that his opinion is wrong. In fact, some of your comments would tend to validate his opinion.

[LaFireEducator]

Medic .....

We could continue on with this and honestly not change either one of our minds one little bit.

So, that being said, let's just agree to disagree on the way that we view training and how it should be delivered.

Deal?

[FireMedic049]

Medic .....

We could continue on with this and honestly not change either one of our minds one little bit.

So, that being said, let's just agree to disagree on the way that we view training and how it should be delivered.

Deal?

If you want the discussion to end, then just stop posting.

[LaFireEducator]

Agreed. .....

[ChiefKN]

Someone put the chairs up and lock the place on their way out, okay?