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Connecticut Commission on Fire Prevention and Control Fire Academy Programs

Credit Recommendation

  • Chemistry for Emergency Response: 3 credits, upper division level

Effective Dates

October 2009 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Chemistry for Emergency Response: 4 credits, upper division level

Effective Dates

September 2004 through September 2009

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Department Safety Officer: 2 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

September 1987 through September 2005

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Officer I: 6 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

September 1999 through December 2005

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Officer II: 3 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

March 1991 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Officer III: 3 credits, upper division level

Effective Dates

January 2004 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Officer IV: 6 credits, upper division level

Effective Dates

October 2009 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Officer IV: 3 credits, upper division level

Effective Dates

September 2002 through September 2009

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Service Instructor I: 3 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

September 1982 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Command and General Staff Functions for Local Incident Management Teams: 3 credits, upper division level
  • Fire Officer I: 3 credits, lower division level
  • Fire Service Instructor II: 3 credits, lower division level
  • Fire Service Instructor III: 3 credits, upper division level
  • Recruit Firefighter: 6 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

January 2006 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Fire Service Instructor II: 3 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

1984 through July 2003

Credit Recommendation

  • Firefighter II: 3 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

April 2012 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • First Line Company Supervision (Fire Officer I): 6 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

Fall 1999 through December 2005

Credit Recommendation

  • Health and Safety Officer: 1 credit, lower division level
  • Incident Safety Officer: Fire Suppression: 1 credit, lower division level

Effective Dates

January 2009 through March 2022

Credit Recommendation

  • Incident Safety Officer AND Health and Safety Officer (Must complete both, together these were formerly Fire Department Safety Officer): 2 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

September 2005 through January 2009

Credit Recommendation

  • Organizational Administration (Fire Officer III): 4 credits, upper division level

Effective Dates

September 2000 through December 2003

Credit Recommendation

  • Public Fire and Life Safety Educator I: 2 credits, lower division level

Effective Dates

September 1997 through March 2022

Source of Records

Office of the Director of Training; Connecticut Fire Academy; 34 Perimeter Road; Windsor Locks, CT 06096-1069

Students requesting credit for Chemistry for Emergency Response and/or Command and General Staff Functions for Local Incident Management Teams should also request their National Fire Academy record to verify the training completion date.

About the Training Sponsor

The Connecticut State Fire Academy is located in training facilities at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT. The mission of the Fire Academy is "to prevent or mitigate the effects of fire and disasters, either natural or manmade, on the citizens of the State of Connecticut." Academy personnel support local and regional fire service instructors by providing the state's career and volunteer firefighters with training and education that meets national standards and maintaining up-to-date resources for use by fire service personnel, public educators and other first responders. Since operations began in 1994, over 20,000 fire service and allied professionals have participated in training at the facility.

How to Apply for the Credit

Competencies 

Chemistry for Emergency Response, October 2009 through March 2022: 3 credits, upper division level
This twelve-day course provides the basic knowledge required to evaluate the potential hazards and behaviors of hazardous materials. It also reviews the underlying reasons for the chemical behavior of hazardous materials and is designed to improve decision-making, safety operations and handling techniques. The course is heavily chemistry oriented, including topics such as basics, salts, inorganic non-salts, organic chemistry, hydrocarbon derivatives, chemical and physical properties, radioactive isotopes and detection, thermodynamics and airborne concentrations, toxicity of chemical families, explosives, and illicit use of chemistry. Instruction is delivered through lecture/ discussion, supervised laboratory application, and student interaction.

Chemistry for Emergency Response, September 2004 through September 2009: 4 credits, upper division level
This course is designed to prepare the responder to function safely at the scene of a hazardous materials incident by understanding the potential hazards. This is accomplished by gaining a recognition of chemical nomenclature and basic principles of chemistry in order to assess risks to responders and the public. The course seeks to convey to first responders or prevention officers a sound understanding of the basic chemistry of hazardous materials to permit them to correctly assess the threat posed by hazardous materials incidents that may occur accidentally or through intentional means. Problem-solving sessions and interactive discussion cover topics such as salts and inorganic non-salts, hydrocabons, hydrocarbon derivatives, and hydrocarbon radicals. Application of chemistry to thermodynamics, volatility, and combustion provides real-world examples. An understanding of basic chemistry is helpful to receive maximum benefit from the course. Instruction delivered through lecture/discussion, student interaction.

Command and General Staff Functions for Local Incident Management Teams, January 2006 through March 2022: 3 credits, upper division level
This course is targeted for emergency response personnel from multiple disciplines including but not limited to fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, public health, emergency management, public works, local/county government, and others. Students study the dynamics of team decision making, use of resources, and the interface of local and State Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) while assigned to multiagency, multidiscipline teams that will work together throughout the course. Major topics covered include ICS position roles and responsibilities, team work, paperwork preparation including writing objectives to manage the incident. Instruction is delivered through lecture/ discussion, supervised laboratory application, and student interaction.

Fire Department Safety Officer, September 1987 through September 2005: 2 credits, lower division level
Course subsequently divided into two courses: Incident Safety Officer and Health and Safety Officer. Four-day course examines the Fire Department Safety Officer's role with the identification, evaluation and implementation of policies and procedures that affect health and safety aspects for emergency responders. Through use of case studies, small group workshops and instructor facilitation of safety concepts, students gain a thorough understanding of risk management; wellness issues; incident safety functions; regulatory requirements and their impact on increasing survivability for fire department personnel.

Fire Officer I, January 2006 through March 2022: 3 credits, lower division level
Fire Officer I is a comprehensive course designed to strengthen the new or aspiring fire officer's supervisory and leadership skills. Emergency and routine duties of the company officer are also discussed. Topics covered include human resource management, community and government relations, public education, safety, inspection and investigation of fire cause origin, pre-planning, and emergency service delivery. A fire command simulator is used in the emergency service delivery section of the course. Instruction is delivered through lecture/ discussion and student interaction.

First Line Company Supervision (Fire Officer I), September 1999 through December 2005: 6 credits, lower division level
Comprehensive course designed to strengthen the new or aspiring fire officer's supervisory and leadership skills. Emergency and routine duties of the company officer are discussed. Topics include: human resource management; community and government relations; public education; safety; inspection and investigation and emergency service delivery. Lecture/discussion; supervised laboratory/ shop, including use of a fire command simulator. Includes a balance of mentored peer group discussion sessions and development of individual projects.

Fire Officer II (3 credits, lower division level) January 2007 through May 2022
Fire Officer II is designed for those fire officers or aspiring officers that need the skills to supervise multiple companies. Generally, this level involves the oversight of single company supervisors involved in the operational aspects of a fire station. Topics covered include group behavior, employee evaluation, communication skills, report preparation, pre-fire and operational planning, inspections, command of hazardous materials incidents, safety, and emergency service delivery. A fire command simulator is used in the emergency service delivery section of the course. Instruction is delivered through lecture/discussion and student interaction.

Fire Officer II (Multi-Company Supervision) (3 credits, lower division level) March 1991 through January 2009
Seven-day course designed for fire officers or aspiring officers who need skills to supervise multiple companies, generally including oversight of single company supervisors involved in the operation-al aspects of a fire station, such as human resource management, community relations, administration, inspection and investigation, emergency services delivery, and safety.

Fire Officer III, January 2004 through March 2022: 3 credits, upper division level, September 2000 through December 2003: 4 credits, upper division level
Fire Officer III is a non-traditional course offered to individuals currently holding or aspiring to the rank of shift commander or chief officer. It is designed to enhance the skills of the chief officer by providing a group of peers with a progressive learning environment. This semi-independent study course includes a balance of regularly scheduled peer group discussions and development of individual projects. Areas covered in the discussions and projects include human resource management, community relations, administration, inspection and investigation, emergency services delivery, and safety. A mentor is provided to the participants for discussion and guideline purposes. Instruction is delivered through lecture/ discussion, supervised laboratory application, and student interaction.

Fire Officer IV, October 2009 through March 2022: 6 credits, upper division level
This semi-independent study course consists of a balance of regularly scheduled peer group discussion sessions and the development of individual projects. Areas covered in the discussions and projects will focus heavily on human resource management, administration, multi-agency emergency services delivery and safety. Areas specifically covered include: grievance administration, training and educational goal setting and planning, employee assistance programs, incentive programs, community event planning, long-range planning, and civil disturbance and disaster planning. A mentor is provided to participants for discussion and guideline purposes. Acceptance into the program requires completion of the standard CT Fire Academy course application paperwork and a separate information statement/supplementary application. Priority is give to applicants currently serving as shift commander or chief officer, and then to applicants with at least three years' service as a company officer. Completion of the course requires candidates to present their project to an oral examination panel of CT fire service leaders. Semi-independent study course, includes regularly scheduled peer group discussions, development of individual projects, and final project and oral examination. Mentor facilitates discussion and provides guidelines.

Fire Officer IV, September 2004 through September 2009: 3 credits, upper division level
This course is offered to individuals currently holding or aspiring to the rank of shift commander or chief officer. The course is designed to enhance the skills of the chief officer by providing a group of peers with a progressive learning environment. Discussions and projects include human resource management, community relations, administration, inspection and investigation, emergency services delivery and safety. Areas specifically covered include personnel assignments, hiring and promotional procedures, professional development, community awareness programs, budget management, recordkeeping systems, pre-incident planning, public education planning, multi-agency incident planning and accident and injury protection. Semi-independent study course, includes regularly scheduled peer group discussions, development of individual projects, and final project and oral examination. Mentor facilitates discussion and provides guidelines.

Fire Service Instructor I, September 1982 through March 2022: 3 credits, lower division level
Seven-day course designed to meet the first level of instructor as identified by the National Professional Qualifications Standards (NFPA 1041). Topics covered include legal issues, communication skills, lesson plans, learning environment, learning process, multimedia, adult learning and communication, safety, understanding performance objectives, presenting from a prepared lesson plan, evaluation, and methods of instruction. Each student is required to make five presentations. Station Evaluator training is included in the class. Study materials, completion and submission of homework assignments and formative assessment are on line. Lecture/discussion, student presentations.

Fire Service Instructor II, January 2006 through March 2022: 3 credits, lower division level
Fire Service Instructor II is a comprehensive course designed to meet the requirements of NFPA1041. Topics covered include legal issues, instructional methodology, managing instructional resources, development of instructional materials including lesson plans, safety, supervising other instructors, managing the training team, needs analysis, budget development, and evaluation. Lecture/discussion; student self-study.

Fire Service Instructor II, 1984 through July 2003: 3 credits, lower division level
Successful completion of course development and design assignments, audio-visual development and a certification exam will qualify students for the "Certified Fire Instructor II" designation. Course topics include: design analysis; course development; course design; goals and objectives writing; preparation of instructional materials; evaluation methods; and implementation considerations. Lecture/discussion; student presentation of individually developed lesson plan format.

Fire Service Instructor III, January 2006 through March 2022: 3 credits, upper division level
Fire Service Instructor III is designed for the FSI-II. Topics include administration, records, policy, personnel, analysis, evaluation and program/curriculum development. The course is a blended learning course. Lecture/discussion; student self-study.

Firefighter II,April 2012 through March 2022: 3 credits, lower division level
Meets the NFPA 1001 standard for firefighter professional qualifications for Firefighter II. Covers fire behavior, building construction, ventilation, loss control, hose advancement, communications, water supply, motor vehicle extrication, fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, incident report writing, pre-incident planning, public fire safety education, foam application, hose inspection, test and maintenance, and National Incident Management System. Hazardous Materials / WMD First Responder - Operational level training are also included. Firefighter II was first reviewed for credit in 2017.

Health and Safety Officer, January 2009 through March 2022: 1 credit, lower division level
This National Fire Academy course examines the Health and Safety Officer's role with the identification, evaluation and implementation of policies and procedures that affect the health and safety aspects for emergency responders. Through the use of case studies, small group workshops and instructor facilitation of safety concepts, participants gain a thorough understanding of risk management, wellness issues, incident safety functions, regulatory requirements and their impact on increasing the survivability of fire department personnel. This course is designed for individuals who have department level health and safety responsibilities. Attendees should have a working knowledge of ICS, applicable to NFPA and OSHA requirements and responsibility for setting policy for their departments on such issues. Instruction is delivered through lecture/ discussion, supervised laboratory application, and student interaction.

Incident Safety Officer: Fire Suppression, January 2009 through March 2022: 1 credit, lower division level
The goal of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of he Incident Safety Officer (ISO) during incident operations and training evolutions. This course is designed for fire and emergency medical services (EMS) responders who may be designated by the Incident Commander (IC) as an ISO while working within an Incident Command System (ICS). These assignments may occur during firefighting, EMS, special operations type incidents, and training evolutions. This is an incident-specific, scenario-oriented course designed to teach students what an ISO needs to know at an incident. The course uses instructor led discussion, multimedia activities, and small group discussions to convey instructional points.

Incident Safety Officer; and Health and Safety Officer (together these were formerly Fire Department Safety Officer); September 2005 through January 2009: 2 credits, lower division level
Two-day courses examine the Fire Department Safety Officer's role with the identification, evaluation and implementation of policies and procedures that affect health and safety aspects for emergency responders. Through use of case studies, small group workshops and instructor facilitation of safety concepts, students gain a thorough understanding of risk management; wellness issues; incident safety functions; regulatory requirements and their impact on increasing survivability for fire department personnel.

Organizational Administration (Fire Officer III), September 2000 through December 2003: 4 credits, upper division level
Non-traditional course offered to individuals currently holding or aspiring to the rank of shift commander or chief officer. Designed to enhance the skills of the chief officer by providing a group of peers with a progressive learning environment. Areas covered include human resource management; community relations; administration; inspection and investigation; emergency services delivery and safety in areas such as personnel assignments; hiring and promotional procedures; professional development; community awareness programs; budget management; record keeping systems; pre-incident planning; public education planning; multi-agency incident planning and accident and injury protection. Semi-independent study course; mentored peer group discussion sessions and individual projects.

Public Fire and Life Safety Educator I, September 1997 through March 2022: 2 credits, lower division level
Entry-level course designed to prepare students who perform public education duties to present existing programs to all audiences. Course addresses fire prevention activities; the major causes of unintentional injury; characteristics of learning; evaluation of lesson plans; presentation methods; effective usage of audiovisual aids; successfully dealing with the media; and record keeping. This four-day course meets the requirements of NFPA 1035, "Professional Qualifications for Public Fire and Life Safety Educator I." Lecture/discussion; student presentations.

Recruit Firefighter, January 2009 through March 2022: 6 credits, lower division level
This 14-week resident course focuses on developing the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for a new firefighter to perform entry-level tasks under direct supervision. One of the first components of the course is to establish in the recruit a strong desire and will for self-discipline, teamwork, company morale, orderliness and precision. The fire department organizational structure is defined showing the role and responsibility of the firefighter and the officer in the organization. The training for a recruit firefighter consists of theory, backed with appropriate skill development. This approach develops competency in the recruit and reduces the risk of injury. Recruits reside at the Connecticut Fire Academy weekdays throughout the course. At the conclusion of the course, the recruit firefighter is tested to the Firefighter I and Firefighter II level. After local orientation, the firefighter will be able to be assigned to a firefighting company. This course includes: Hazardous Materials - first Responder Awareness and Operational; Daily Physical Fitness; Confined Space Rescue; CPR Defibrillator; First Aid and applicable OSHA standards. Instruction is delivered through lecture/ discussion, supervised laboratory application, and student interaction.