march 2024 Alabama Fire College
Congratulations to our Employees of the Quarter Lonnie Branson, Arizona Winborn, and the Finance Unit staff who were recognized at the January Commission meeting.
CLASS OF
2024-2025
Apply by April 30
The Alabama Public Safety Leadership Academy is seeking applications for the 2024-2025 class. APSLA equips participants with the strategic insights and leadership skills necessary to propel public safety organizations forward.
Join a cohort of dedicated professionals and gain invaluable knowledge in: Strategic planning and decision-making; Effective leadership and communication; and Innovative problem-solving for complex public safety challenges.
APSLA.WORDPRESS.COM
E m p l o y e e s o f t h e Q u a r t e r
Volunteer Rescue Student Tuition
Reimbursement
Program
INCLUDES ALL THREE LEVELS: EMT, ADVANCED EMT, & PARAMEDIC
Each year, emergency medical service agencies in Alabama hire more than 300 Emergency Medical Services Personnel (EMSP)s to offer life-saving support to their communities. In addition to these paid openings, the more than 900 volunteer fire departments and rescue squads in Alabama also rely on certified and committed EMSPs to meet their community needs The State of Alabama created the Volunteer Rescue Student Tuition Reimbursement Program (Act 2018-524) in 2018 and modified the program in 2023 (Act 2023-353). The legislation allows for students who obtain their EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic certification from an Alabama Community College, the Alabama Fire College, or the University of South Alabama to be reimbursed their tuition costs for the training.
HOW IT WORKS
Student submits program agreement & documents
1. ACCS reviews packet, complete, issues reimbursement* to College or Sponsoring Agency
3.
2. College disburses reimbursement to student
COMMIT FOR TWO YEARS, GET REIMBURSED TUITION
In order to qualify for the Volunteer Rescue Student Tuition Program, the applicant must commit – and show verification of a commitment – to at least two years of service to a volunteer fire or rescue squad. This increases the worker’s experience and helps local communities.
(*All funding is based on availability)
Certification & Curriculum Updates
The NFPA Standards Committees update standards typically every five years to ensure that the most up-to-date information, technology, and industry standards are included in curriculum and used in classroom delivery. To maintain accreditation with Pro Board and IFSAC, we have a two-year deadline to update to these new editions.
NFPA 1030: The new NFPA 1030, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Prevention Program Positions, 2024 Edition, is requiring changes to our existing Fire Inspection Series courses: First Responder Fire Inspector, Fire Inspector, and Fire Marshal (to replace Fire Inspector I, II, and III) are potential new levels.
Also updating with this new edition: Fire Plan Examiner, Fire & Life Safety Educator I and II, and Public Information Officer
Roll out for these new courses is tentatively set for Fall, 2024. More information to be released soon!
NFPA 1010: The new NFPA 1010, Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters, 2024 Edition, will require updates to the following levels: Fire Fighter I and II; Airport Fire Fighter; Apparatus Operator Levels: Emergency Vehicle Driver, Pumper, Aerial, Mobile Water Supply, ARFF; and Marine Fire Fighter. Roll out for these new courses is tentatively Spring, 2025. More information to be released soon!
NFPA 1550: The new NFPA 1550, Standard for Emergency Responder Health and Safety, 2024 Edition, will require updates to the following levels: Fire Department Safety Officer: Health and Safety Officer and Fire Department Safety Officer: Incident Safety Officer Roll out for these new courses is tentatively Spring, 2025. More information to be released soon!
NFPA 1081: The new NFPA 1081, Standard for Facility Fire Brigade Member Professional Qualifications, 2024 Edition, will require updates to the following levels: Advanced Facility Fire Brigade, Interior Structural Facility Fire Brigade, Incipient Facility Fire Brigade, Facility Fire Brigade Support Member, and Facility Fire Brigade Leader
REMINDER OF CHANGES TO HAZMAT COURSES: Roll out date for these new courses was January 1, 2024; new standard edition and curriculum/certification components are available now.
REMINDER OF CHANGES TO FIRE FIGHTER COURSES: Roll out date for these Alabama Administrative Code updates was January 1, 2024 (Complete updates: https://admincode.legislature.state.al.us/administrative-code/360-X-2):
400 hours required for Fire Fighter I/II; 240 for Fire Fighter I/II Bridge
Comprehensive Final Exam for Fire Fighter I/II and Fire Fighter Bridge
Requirement of FFI/II Core Training Evolutions
Fire Fighter Bridge new course requirements:
Minimum enrollment numbers
Department Delivery options
certification@alabamafirecollege.org
Apply for FP&S and SAFER Grants by April 12
Fire safety grants fund critically needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel, enhance efficiencies and support community resilience.
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) were created to provide funding directly to fire departments to help increase or maintain the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities. The goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the NFPA (NFPA 1710 and/or NFPA 1720). For details, review the National Fire Protection Association's codes and standards.
The Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards. The primary goal is to reduce injury and prevent death. In 2005, Congress reauthorized funding for FP&S and expanded the eligible uses of funds to include Firefighter Safety Research and Development.
Apply for NFA courses by April 15 www.afcbookstore.org
The National Fire Academy (NFA) offers many courses to help you meet your professional development goals and reduce all-hazards risks in your community The application period is open until April 15th for on-campus courses that are scheduled from July to September 2024 (You can apply for a self-study course, course vacancy or the State/National Weekend Program at any time )
SALE S E SALE
(205) 343-7412 2501 Phoenix Drive Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 Monday-Friday: 7am - 4pm $25 OLD EDITION BOOK SALE!
Marc update
The deadline is quickly approaching for NFPA’s Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year Award. Please consider nomination an outstanding educator in your community. Deadline is March 28, 2024 and you can download the nomination form here.
Join leading fire and life safety advocates from around the world to learn and network with peers! NFPA’s Spotlight on Public Education is back at C&E in Orlando with amazing sessions. Register today. Download a flyer.
Steps to Safety online training in now live. This free, three-hour online course includes a personalized action planner, scenarios, job aids, and quizzes throughout, culminating in a series of 360-degree “home visits ” Course completion certificate provided
Sparky the Fire Dog celebrated his 73rd birthday on March 18th and invites you to celebrate fire safety with him on Sparky.org. Check out new activities and play Kahoot! games! Check out Sparky’s Party Kit for more ways to celebrate our favorite fire dog on his birthday.
EMAC submissions: Please submit a comment to propose adding new messaging, or revising/amending an existing message. The submitter need not be a member of the Educational Messages Advisory Committee (EMAC) or NFPA. “The EMAC meets periodically to review NFPA’s fire and burn safety education messages and to provide recommendations to NFPA public education staff for updating and revising the messages. The EMAC public education messages are used throughout NFPA’s educational programs, curricula, and handouts, and provide fire and life safety educators with accurate and consistent language for use when offering safety information to the public. Each topic area is selfcontained, written so that all the information needed on a certain subject is provided within that category. As a result, some messaging may be repeated throughout topic areas.” (nfpa.org)
Interested in virtual networking opportunities? The NFPA CRR team hosts a monthly virtual session called the CRR Kitchen Table that brings together professionals from across the CRR landscape: public educators, fire marshals, community members, and more Email CRR@nfpa org to be added to the invitation list and join us for the sessions that work for you!
Our next session will be on Wednesday, March 27 at 1pm CST. During this session, we will talk with guests from the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department Fire & Data Analytics team who will fill us in on their creative approach to increasing buy-in for all things data across the fire department. Jessica LeBlanc and Jessica Handoko are focused on making their data accessible and actionable for everyone with their boots on the ground and will tell us how they get their operations teams engaged. There will be lots of great ideas to steal during this session! Bring your ideas as well to add to this interactive session.
On Wednesday, April 17 at 12pm CST, we have a great session planned to give you a sneak peek of the sessions that will be offered at the Spotlight on Public Education during the NFPA Conference & Expo this June in Orlando.
CRITICAL CARE ACADEMY
550 +
The Critical Care Academy serves as: preparation for the International Board of Specialty Certification (IBSC)’s Flight Paramedic Certification (FP-C) test preparation for the preparation for the IBSC’s Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) Certification test a refresher for those already certified as FP-C an NREMT paramedic refresher course 100-hour Critical Care Academy course (a $500 value!) 4-day/45-hour in-person class with study guide (a $360 value!)
About the prep course: This 4-day prep class will satisfy the IBSC 45-hour approved refresher course for FP-C and CCP-C recertifications, as well as 45-hour of Continuing Education credit approved by CAPCE and the California Board of Registered Nursing The prep class will be held on August 22-25, 2024 at the Alabama Fire College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Students are encouraged to attend in person, but will have the ability to livestream the prep course.
REGISTERONLINE PRINT A FORM
Class size will be limited.
Register today online or by filling out the registration form and returning it to registration@alabamafirecollege.org.
Questions? Contact Mark Delk at mdelk@alabamafirecollege.org.
About the course: The Critical Care Academy can be completed at the station or in the comfort of your home The coursework is crafted as a distance-learning class and followed up with an in-person 4-day prep class Registrants must be self-motivated to complete the coursework, including tests, to build a solid foundation prior to prep class This 100-hour course is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE) It includes podcast episodes, case studies, and real-world knowledge to prepare you for the FP-C test administered by IBSC. The course begins on April 8, 2024. Registration is $550, which includes course material for two years and reserves a seat at the in-person 4-day prep course. TUITIONCOST
Weekend Classes for Volunteer Fire Fighters
The following classes are offered to Alabama VFFs on a weekend-based schedule. Tuition is waived; student is responsible for books. Call 1(800)241-2467 to register.
TRP: Rope Rescue Awareness & Operations:
April 13, 14, 27, & 28
Fire Apparatus Operator: Mobile Water Supply:
May 18-19
Fire & Emergency Services Instructor I:
June 8, 9, 29, & 30
Fire & Emergency Services Instructor II:
July 13, 14, 27, & 28
Fire Apparatus Operator: Pumper:
August 10, 11, 24, & 25
1.800.241.2467 Published 2-13-24 Subject to change Visit our website for the most current information.
www.alabamafirecollege.org
limited seats!
