Training

 

The primary responsibility of the Training Officer is to conduct and/or coordinate all training programs within the Weymouth Fire Department. These programs include, but are not limited to:

In-house training: Each month, the Training Officer will issue a training package to all groups. These packages will contain training evolutions which are to be delivered by the Company Officers to their personnel. Examples of this training include: street drills, pump drills, group discussions, news articles, etc.

In-service training: At least once each month, except summer months, all members are to be brought to a training site, whether at Headquarters or at an alternate location where they will receive instruction on a major topic. These programs will include any aspect of firefighting operations and will be conducted either in a classroom setting, on the drill ground, or a combination of the two. Types of in-service training programs would include: tactics and strategy, ground or aerial ladders, communications, water and ice rescue, etc.

Recruit training: When space is not available at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow, the Boston Fire Academy at Moon Island, or at any other established recruit training program, the Training Officer may be designated to carry out basic firefighter recruit training. This training is to be based on the Essentials of Firefighting, (IFSTA) lesson plan and will coincide with NFPA 1001, Standard on Professional Firefighter Qualifications. All new personnel shall be trained to this Standard prior to being given their station assignments.

Emergency Medical Services training: Every member of the Department is required to certify as a First Responder upon initial employment, then recertify in those skills every third year. The Training Officer will coordinate this training with the town’s EMS provider. Also, many members of the Department are certified Emergency Medical Technicians. The Training Officer will attempt to provide continuing education credit hours for any training he conducts as well as scheduling at least one, D.O.T. 20-hour EMT Refresher Course per year.

New equipment: The Training Officer will conduct or coordinate the initial and follow-up training on newly purchased equipment. If necessary, instructors from the factory, the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy or other outside agencies may be utilized to provide that training.

Standard Operating Procedures: Standard Operating Procedures will most often be generated by the Training Division. These procedures will provide the basic guidelines for the use, care and maintenance of specified equipment or will give step-by-step procedures for certain firefighting evolutions.

Fire Hose: Records and inventories of Department fire hose shall be kept on file in the Training Division. The Training Officer will coordinate the replacement of obsolete hose and nozzles.

Testing: The Training Officer may, at his discretion or at the direction of the Chief of Department, prepare and administer various written and/or practical examinations regarding any aspect of firefighter skills and abilities. These tests will be designed to provide a basis upon which to administer training programs. For example, a street location or a fireground hydraulics test may be delivered to determine the extent of training needed in those areas.

Semi-Automatic External Defibrillator: The Training Officer will coordinate the use, care and maintenance of all Semi-Automatic External Defibrillators (SAED’s). These duties include: coordinate the initial training of the device with the town’s EMS provider, schedule quarterly review training and examinations, act as liaison with any hospital to which a patient was transported, maintain records of daily checkouts, maintain records of the use of each device, and perform the downloading of incident reports.

Equipment: The Training Officer will advise the Chief of Department as to the design and procurement of fire apparatus, firefighting equipment, personal protective clothing, etc.

Fire Scene Operations: The Training Officer is to be dispatched to all working fires and to any other scene where his presence would be a benefit to the Incident Commander. He shall act in any capacity assigned to him by the Incident Commander, but his primary role on the fireground will be to assess the training needs of the Department.