The United States Fire Administration (USFA) will soon release on the USFA website their new procedures for recruiting and certifying contract instructors. The announced changes will soon be available and the USFA would like to take this opportunity to alert those interested in becoming National Fire Academy (NFA) instructors, to watch for announcements coming on the USFA website.
“On any typical day, the NFA receives questions and inquiries from many different individuals, public and private organizations and fire service personnel regarding the process for becoming an instructor at the National Fire Academy,” according to Superintendent Dr. Denis Onieal. “The NFA will soon be actively seeking and soliciting for new instructors in all of its subject areas.”
One of the newest changes about to be announced is the opportunity for potential instructors who otherwise meet the qualifications to teach a class can now become eligible contract instructors without attending the once mandatory in-service training class. Depending on the specific course of instruction, a contract instructor might meet qualifications by demonstrating teaching a module of the class while in attendance at the NFA.
“The National Fire Academy is constantly trying to improve its operations,” continued Onieal. “We’ve shortened classes in response to student requests, now we have opened the doors to the next generation of NFA instructors.”
The recruitment of new instructors will begin in the coming weeks. Interested individuals will be able to learn about the new procedures, and be able to submit applications online.
Executive Fire Officer Program Application Date Closing Soon
The USFA is taking this opportunity to remind interested candidates that the application date for the Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP) is approaching. Interested candidates must submit their application package no later than June 30, 2007. Applicant packages received by this date will be considered for entry into the program scheduled between October 1, 2007 – September 30, 2008.
The EFOP is the USFA/National Fire Academy’s longstanding executive education program. With over 2500 graduates, the EFO program is designed to provide senior officers and others in key leadership roles with:
- An understanding of:
- the need to transform fire and emergency services organizations from being reactive to proactive; with an emphasis on leadership development, prevention, and risk-reduction;
- transforming fire and emergency services organizations to reflect the diversity of America’s communities;
- the value of research and its application to the profession; and
- the value of lifelong learning.
- Enhanced executive-level knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to lead these transformations, conduct research, and engage in lifelong learning.
The selected fire officers enhance their professional development through a unique series of four graduate and upper-division-baccalaureate equivalent courses. The EFOP spans a 4-year period with 4 core courses. Each course is 2 weeks in length. Each EFOP participant must complete an Applied Research Project (ARP) that relates to their organization within 6 months after the completion of each of the four courses. A certificate of completion for the entire EFOP is awarded only after the successful completion of the final research project.
For more information and application forms,interested applicants should access the following URL for more information: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/efop/index.shtm
For more information about any of the many USFA programs and projects, visit: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov
