The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in conjunction with the Central Pine Barrens Wildfire Task Force, will hold the ninth annual New York Wildfire and Incident Management Academy (NYWIMA) from October 20 through October 30, 2006 at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY.
This year’s Academy will be the largest Academy ever with 38 courses being offered. Course offerings include training opportunities for beginning and veteran firefighters and include some never before offered classes such as Introduction to Incident Information (S-203), Driving for the Fire Service (S-216), Extended Attack Incident Commander (S-300), Smoke Management Techniques (RX-410), Situation Unit Leader (S-346), Resources Unit Leader (S-348), Sandtable Train the Trainer and Facilitative Instructor (M-410). The Academy will also offer for free National Incident Management System An Introduction (IS-700) and National Response Plan An Introduction (IS-800).
“This year’s incident command and wildland firefighter training courses represent a real expansion of the Academy’s course offerings,” Academy Coordinator Charles T. Hamilton said.
“Emergency response agencies across the nation now recognize that the establishment of a highly functional command system at the start of an emergency response is one of the best ways to safely and efficiently manage an incident so that emergency response personnel and the public are protected.”
This year’s Academy will also once again offer several course groupings that closely follow position training qualification listings for wildland and prescribed fire positions found in PMS 310-1 Wildland and Prescribed Fire Qualifications System Guide and FSH 5109.17 Fire and Aviation Management Qualifications Handbook. Course groupings include concentrated training programs focusing on the training necessary for wildland firefighters to perform in Firefighter Type 1, Crew and Engine Boss, Incident Commander Type 3 and Type 4 positions, and Prescribed Fire Burn Boss (RXB1) positions.
