The University of Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) recognizes instructors who exemplify quality instruction, student engagement, professional demeanor and knowledge base. Randy Schlichter is IFSI’s October Instructor of the Month.
Randy has worked with IFSI and has been an instructor since 1997. Since then he has taught more than 80 classes and coordinated more than 470 classes. Randy is best known for teaching officer classes, plus Coordinated Fire Attack and Rapid Intervention Team (RIT). In 2005, Randy became one of the first two regional representatives appointed, and assigned to cover the northeast corner of Illinois. “Prior to Randy becoming an IFSI Field Instructor, IFSI’s presence in the far northeastern areas of Illinois was minimal. He has been the key factor in opening the northeastern and northern areas of the state for a greatly increased number of IFSI classes,” Dave Clark, retired IFSI Deputy Director said. “Randy was largely responsible for the growth across the northern counties, even drawing students in from Wisconsin.”
Randy began his fire service career in 1969 with Hoffman Estates Fire Department. He spent his entire career there and retired in 2002 as a Battalion Chief.
“Randy is calm, dedicated, experienced fire officer and instructor who not only educates but inspires his students at IFSI classes,” Clark added.
The Illinois Fire Service Institute is the statutory State Fire Academy for Illinois. In addition to training provided at its Champaign campus, the Institute offers one-day hands-on classes for fire departments at Regional Training Centers and local fire stations across the State. The mission of the Illinois Fire Service Institute is to help firefighters do their work through training, education, information and research.
