The Mission of the Training Division is to provide the knowledge and training, both cognitive and psychomotor, to its firefighters, enabling them to develop the necessary skills to protect the lives and property of its citizens and visitors.
The Training Division is responsible for the design and implementation of the Department's training activities. The Jackson Fire Department has a 5-story drill tower, a smoke-house, Swede Survival System, and a classroom building. The Training Division members are all trained as Safety Officers and serve as such during major incidents. The Department also utilizes training from other agencies such as the National Fire Academy and the Mississippi State Fire Academy.
Our training efforts are divided into three equally important areas: Recruit Training, In-Service Training, and Specialized Training.
RECRUIT TRAINING
·The primary objective of Recruit Training is to meet NFPA 1001 Standards for Firefighter qualifications and Minimum Standards of the State of Mississippi.
·Our last recruit class graduated 31 firefighters in October, 2009.
IN-SERVICE TRAINING
·In-Service Training is a priority of the Training Division. Both National and ISO trends indicate that skill maintenance training must be conducted at the company level. Evaluation drills and written exams are administered by the Training Academy periodically to measure safety, competency and overall effectiveness.
SPECIALIZED TRAINING
·The area designated as Advanced Training is becoming more crucial. This area is not an option that we can take or leave, but, because of the nature of the fire service, every firefighter must be proficient at many different but vital skills, such as extrication, rope rescue, hazardous materials, and confined space rescue. Because of new technologies, more diverse communities, demands from industry, regulations, and guidelines, we must develop specialty skills within our fire department.
·In the reality in which we live, every time something goes wrong, the first to be called is the fire department. It's no longer just for fire or EMS, but now it's a hazardous materials incident, water rescue, rope rescue, confined space rescue, or response to an act of terrorism. We must be prepared; only through training can these tasks be accomplished.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
A Paramedic staffs the Emergency Services Division (EMS). He is also a certified firefighter and an EMT Instructor. The EMS Coordinator is responsible for all First Responder, EMT training and re-certification. The EMS Coordinator has the task of seeing that our Fire Department complies with local, State and Federal mandates regarding safety and health such as NFPA 1581 and OSHA 1910.1030.
SAFETY OFFICER'S TIP:
* Personnel accountability can be accomplished by voice, vision, and touch.*
