Bringing in Outside Training

[TFD9427]

I am looking for anyone who has attended or has hired outside training courses for their department. There are a few of us in our town that are looking to put something together that is above what we do for our normal training. We are located in Northern Ct. I have seached and found several companies/groups that offer different types of classroom and hands-on training. What we are looking for is feedback, reccommendations, likes, dislikes or anything else from people who have attended or brought in training.

[coldfront]

I am looking for anyone who has attended or has hired outside training courses for their department. There are a few of us in our town that are looking to put something together that is above what we do for our normal training. We are located in Northern Ct. I have seached and found several companies/groups that offer different types of classroom and hands-on training. What we are looking for is feedback, reccommendations, likes, dislikes or anything else from people who have attended or brought in training.

Check with your state agencies like state forestry,fire marshal/inspector's and or State EPA.Those agencies in most state offer free training to fire departments in targeted areas such as wildfire control,haz mat,building codes, ect

[RFDACM02]

We've brought in outside trainers for a few topics. We've had good success and only wish we had more money to do more. One thing you find is that no oone is an expert in their own dept. We truly believe in there being validity in the instructor. Sure any Fire Instructor can teach from a prepared lesson plan on highrise fires, but never have fought a fire in one. Why shouldn't we be skeptical ? Ever listen to a fire instructor struggle through the Human Resources portion of FIre Officer 1? Pretty funny, but actually a waste of our time. If they have nothing to offer, then why not just read the book? That being said, we have used outside instructors where we felt our staff was lacking.

For driver training and aerial operations we brought in Mike Wilbur and it was worth every penny. Sometimes you really don't know how much your missing. Being a nationally recognized trainer specializing in driving and ladder ops, Mike has been able to develop a huge database of pictures procedures, best and worst practices. While we had a good driver program, we knew Mike could really bring alot to the dept. and we were completely correct.

For RIT/Firefighter Survival we brought in the crew from Providence Special Hazards. The experience and quality of the crew was top notched and our personnel really enjoyed the hard work.

Again, sometimes, even when your personnel are great at their jobs, they tend to teach the same way we do things or have always done them vs. bringing in someone who offers another perspective. The key is ensuring the outside person knows WTF their doing.

[bgraves]

We brought in Larry Cohen, FDNY (Ret.) and owner of Fire Ground Technologies www.firegroundtech.com for a two day class on engine and truck ops. Our guys got some great information. It was well worth the money.

[ndvfdff33]

We had a multi-dept training session. We had a gentleman from Halifax Fire Service Training Division come down and do a school bus extrication course.
We had an awesome time. It was very informative, learning how to extricate from various types of buses as well we had a few buses to rip apart after the class portion.

The only other outside courses we've ever had was Traffic Control course, DNR Forest Firefighting course. Both were good and walked away with the knowledge required to get the job done.

If you have a chance to get an outsider to come in for a course I'd highly recommend it.

[Bones42]

We've used a few of these companies and have no complaints.

http://www.allhandsfire.com/training.html

[BlitzfireSolo]

A few of us from my job attended a two-day hands-on class by Traditions Training (http://www.traditionstraining.com/) last year. Although I'm sure that having unlimited acquired structures helped, each of us agreed that it was the best training that any of us had ever attended.

[ffmedcbk1]

I really liked when my department brought in an instructor for a years worth of training (12 months, 1 per shifts - ABC).
Find someone with good team building/leading skills. I would also have you be specific in designating the traiing you need. We needed heavy engine company work, and we got it through our instructor. It was well worth every penny.
Have fun and learn.

[Fireground1]

www.firegroundtech.com

[Skippy361]

Top Rung Training Associates, LLC.
www.Toprungtraining.org
1-203-868-2140

A group of instructors from Connecticut and FDNY (Bridgeport, New Haven, and the Harlem Hilton).
Acquired structires specialists
Engine Ops (back to basics)
Truck Ops (FE, laddering, VES)
Search (private dwelling and large area)
RIT training, scenario based
Live fire training
Thermal imaging

They will customize a class or classes to meet your needs.

[Adze39]

Northeast Utilities, CNG, etc will all come and do free classes for your department.

[DugdogFiredog]

Check with your local Army, Air Force, Marine or NAS stations. We have the Youngstown Air Force Reserve and Pittsburgh Air Force Reserve stations not from from us. Both are more than happy to send base firefighters and other specialized personal out to teach, "just in case" an aircraft would happen to go down in our neighborhood. We usually host them once a year. And their aircraft do regularly fly over my area at low altitude.

[DugdogFiredog]

Check with your local Army, Air Force, Marine or NAS stations. We have the Youngstown Air Force Reserve and Pittsburgh Air Force Reserve stations not from from us. Both are more than happy to send base firefighters and other specialized personal out to teach, "just in case" an aircraft would happen to go down in our neighborhood. We usually host them once a year. And their aircraft do regularly fly over my area at low altitude.

Also, our county fire school, Mercer County/Harry A. "Dutch" Rapp Fire School brings in outside teachers all the time, from City of Pittsburgh battalion chiefs to a rescue company from Connecticut two years ago. Not sure what's on tap for this year.

[firemonkey311]

A Lt from FDNY 27 Truck. He came to our dept and did a two part apparatus opperations and placement class. Did a fantasic job. Got lots of info out of it. Cant remember his name though.

Or the local fire academy where you send your probies.In my county they can be scheduled to come to your dept or we can do to the academy.

[RFDACM02]

A Lt from FDNY 27 Truck. He came to our dept and did a two part apparatus opperations and placement class. Did a fantasic job. Got lots of info out of it. Cant remember his name though.

Or the local fire academy where you send your probies.In my county they can be scheduled to come to your dept or we can do to the academy.

Mike Wilbur. I'm in full agreement that he's an excellant resource. We've had him in house 5 or so times. We done his driving program, aerial ops and placement, tower ladder ops and some specialized dept specific stuff he set up.

www.emergencyvehicleresponse.com

[NDeMarse]

Brotherhood Instructors LLC.

http://brotherhoodinstructors.com

We have done work in Gilford, NH, Holden, MA and Sterling, MA and numerous towns in Illinois.

Let us know if we can help you out.

[Fireground1]

I can only imagine the eons of experience there.....lol

[NDeMarse]

I can only imagine the ions of experience there.....lol

Hey, thanks "brother", but we let the departments that hire us speak about our levels of experience and professionalism.

Some other great companies that are out there:

Rico Fire/Rescue: http://www.ricofirerescue.com/
RIT Rescue Systems: http://www.ritrescuesystems.com/company.php

If you are looking for RIT, FAST or emergency bail-out kits and classes, Chris Botti designed a great bail-out/escape system that is very practical and easy to use.

Additionally, Chief Salka Jr, Chief Dunn Chief Norman and Chief Tracy put on excellent classes too.

Some companies are secure with themselves to not bash others, others are not................

[cdemarse]

I can only imagine the ions of experience there.....lol

What I find even more funny is your use of the word "ions".

I can only assume you were trying to use the word "Eon"

Good effort though.


Definition
Ion

An atom or a group of atoms that has acquired a net electric charge by gaining or losing one or more electrons.

Eon

A long time: eternity, long1, year (used in plural). Informal age (used in plural), blue moon. Idioms: forever and a day, forever and ever, month of Sundays. See time.

[jonnyirons2]

Watch out! The DeMarse brother's are gonna break out them der huntin rifles and settle this outside!