The United States Fire Administration (USFA), Department of Homeland Security, is recruiting students and instructor candidates to attend pilot classes for its new six-day on-campus course, Hot Topics in Fire Protection. The pilot will be offered October 18 to 23, 2009, at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Students will arrive Saturday October 17 and depart Saturday, October 24.
Hot Topics in Fire Protection is intended to help students discover what's new in fire protection by exploring how current events, products and trends apply to you and your jurisdiction.
Learn:
- How to "scan the environment" and conduct valid research into new technologies, trends, laws and products.
- How to read, interpret and apply fire protection research, human behavior studies, fire dynamics research, fire protection law and emerging issues.
- How to identify emerging local, regional and state fire protection challenges; and develop technically-based strategic solutions.
- How technology develops and can be transferred to solve local issues.
- What significant changes are in the short- and long-term future for fire protection systems and equipment.
- How fire protection plays a part in all-hazards preparedness and response.
Using modern research tools, and student-centric learning, attendees will learn: how to evaluate technological and human behavior topics that exist in fire protection, the wide variety of research resources available, and how to collect and present that information in a meaningful way that can effect change to reduce fire losses or enhance understanding of new technologies.
Pilots are highly participatory among the instructors, course developers and students. Attendees are expected to contribute their ideas and expertise to improve course content and delivery Attending a pilot does not affect a student's ability to obtain another travel stipend within the fiscal year.
Target Audience: The target audience for this course includes anyone responsible for the review and/or approval of building and fire/life safety features in the regulatory process.
Student Selection Criteria: Priority selection will be given to those applicants who express interest in and meet minimum qualifications to become course instructors. For minimum qualifications, please visit the USFA Web site at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/nfacid/, select "Become an Instructor," and follow the hyperlink to "qualification criteria."
More: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/