Industry Insights: Why Technology Is Meant to Supplement Hands-On Firefighter Training, Not Replace It

Editor's note: Industry Insights are sponsored blogs submitted by manufacturers and suppliers serving the fire service industry.

If there is a misconception about web-based training technology, it’s that online firefighter courses are utilized as a substitute to hands-on training exercises. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Online training is a valuable tool for fire departments, but in no way is it meant to replace hands-on training,” said Tim Riley, a retired chief for Dunedin Fire Department (Fla.) and current Product Specialist for TargetSolutions, the leading Software-as-a-Service training management system for public safety agencies.

“The truth is, online training, whether it’s a course or some type of custom training content, is great for supplementing hands-on training so instructors have more time to spend working on skills and abilities.”

A recent survey of more than 600 fire departments by the marketing firm MillerPierce found 76 percent of departments are either already using a computer-based training system, or are currently considering acquiring one. One of the reasons agencies are looking to TargetSolutions, CentreLearn, and other online providers is the ability to deliver pre-training coursework.

“We use TargetSolutions to allow our crews to review didactic course information before we do hands-on training,” said Brian Carlson, who is an assistant chief with the Burnsville Fire Department in Minnesota and has been a client of TargetSolutions since October 2011. “When personnel arrive at training, they know all the background information and we can jump right in.”

A New Era in Fire Service Training Preparation

As technology and education evolve, the fire service will benefit. Personnel will be able to perform at a higher level thanks to better pre-training practices, according to the International Society of Fire Service Instructors’ Past-President Eddie Buchanan.

“Before the class session a student can do pre-work at home – which is now the lecture – and the technology is the vehicle to get that information to them before they go to the classroom,” said Buchanan. “Now, when the student physically shows up, they can focus on discussion or hands-on application of the new material.”

By delivering pre-training coursework, whether it’s an online course with a quiz, an in-house policy or presentation, or a training video, students are more prepared for what they will encounter at the training facility. This is because many students perform hands-on exercises more effectively if they have heard or read a lesson before tactical execution.

“TargetSolutions allows members to review training and helps them retain the subject matter and visualize the proper skills training,” said Honolulu Fire Department’s Battalion Chief Keith Yasui. “The firefighter is notified of the assignment and can log in and complete the training at their convenience. Upon completion, the firefighter’s account is credited as successful for accountability purposes.”

Many departments that have been utilizing TargetSolutions for an extended period of time have made pre-training with online content the standard. In fact, for Central San Mateo Fire (Calif.), it would be unusual if training was delivered without pre-training, said Training Captain Jake Pelk.

“What I’ve learned is that through delivering effective pre-course material, we actually have maximized our drill ground, and we’ve made our time much more efficient,” said Pelk, whose department started using TargetSolutions in 2009. “It’s become an expectation that our people ask us, ‘hey, where is the pre-course?’ Because they know that it makes our drill-ground time much more efficient.”

Save Time and Simplify Firefighter Training Management

The benefits go beyond improved training sessions and comprehensive recordkeeping. By delivering pre-training, instructors can maximize their time working on mandatory firefighting skills and spend less time dealing with scheduling conflicts.

York Area United Fire & Rescue (Penn.) has been using CentreLearn for less than a year, but is already experiencing greater operational efficiency through pre-training.

“We are currently prepping for our annual confined space training and hazardous materials refresher training,” said York’s Battalion Chief Joe Madzelan. “In the past, we would bring an instructor in for each of our shifts. Then we would have to deal with makeups and overtime. It was time consuming having to coordinate with people who didn’t make the lecture. Often, there were personnel who completely missed out on the classroom training sessions. This gives us the ability to roll-out refresher training before the practical part and test their knowledge of the material before we test their skills.”

Departments with stations across a large city benefit from the ability to rapidly distribute training to all corners. That, combined with custom-content delivery tools for assigning unique pre-training, is huge for Tulsa Fire Department.

“We ask our members to review an online TargetSolutions PowerPoint and video-embedded presentation, and take a test afterward to prepare themselves for when they arrive at an in-service or a training event, to do the skills portion,” said the department’s Director of EMS Michael Baker. “This has allowed us to take something that would normally be two hours long and condense it down into an hour.”

Streamlining EMS Recertification and Training Reports

Tulsa is like most other departments looking to simplify EMS continuing education. And without question, computer-based training is an effective way to meet mandatory medical training requirements. TargetSolutions offers more than 160 hours of EMS recertification, is accepted in all 50 states, and is organizationally accredited by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services.

“Computer-based training comes in to play for EMS, HR, OSHA,” Riley said. “Those are boxes you have to check and online training can get that done. For sexual harassment training, substance abuse training, stuff like that, online courses are really tremendous. But I have also found that using specific firefighter courses for pre-training is an advantage.

“For instance, if someone was trying to become an officer, you could deliver them NFPA 1021 Company Officer training courses to supplement their hands-on stuff. Or to become a driver, TargetSolutions has great driver training courses. But no matter what, hands-on training is the key and the ability to track and report that training is where a computer-based system like TargetSolutions is truly critical to a fire department's success.”

If you would like to see a live demonstration of the TargetSolutions platform, please click here. If you have any questions about fire department training tools, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048 or visit us online at http://www.targetsolutions.com/.