The Chubbuck Fire Department and Idaho State University's Workforce Training Department have combined forces to bring an innovative new training strategy to Southeast Idaho. Chubbuck Fire Chief Eric King says the virtual classroom program has been a collaborative effort including ISU Workforce Training, emergency services trainers out of Boise, and other fire departments.
The program provides a live video feed from firefighter training classes being taught through the ISU Workforce program by a certified instructor. Students can learn through the virtual classroom, and make up any missed class time through the Internet. Currently there are two such classes running , with about 10 students participating in the video/ Internet training. Several other fire departments, such as Swan Valley, Rockland and American Falls, are participating in the program.
King says the response to the program has been positive. "We hope this program will help fire departments that can't afford full in-house training or certified instructors and make training more cost-effective ," he said. "The classes give more input from different instructors, rather than training from only one fire department."
The training in the virtual classroom meets the standards set by the National Fire Protection Association, as does all the training done in-house by the Chubbuck Fire Department.
"There is continual training to improve our firefighting skills, and to make up for the turnover in firefighters ," King said. The virtual classroom training program is paid for by grants, King explained, so the program frees up monies that can then be used for internal training done at local firehouses.
"It's a good program. I think it's going to help our department to save some money. It will provide better training, and more qualified firefighters, so we can build a better work force," King said.
Potential students for the virtual classroom training program are screened by local fire departments. Although this program doesn't currently provide all the necessary training for students to become professional firefighters , it does start them down that career path. King is optimistic about the future of the program, saying, "We're hoping this program will grow. We're hoping to eventually make it into an academy for firefighters."
King has served as chief of the Chubbuck Fire Department for 12 years and has a total of 23 years of firefighting experience. The Chubbuck Fire Department currently has nine full-time firefighters, and a pool of part-time employees as well as "pay-call " staff who are called in when needed. All told, the department has more than 50 firefighters who can respond to emergencies. King hopes that the new training program will help provide more qualified personnel to assist in local emergencies.
King said that a misconception about firefighters is that "we just sit around waiting for the alarm to go off, or just wash our trucks, and go on parades. We do wash our trucks and go on parades, but there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes. There's a lot of training that goes on, and we don't just put fires out."
King said a better name for his fire department might be "emergency services department."
In addition to the traditional fire trucks, there is a Quick Response Unit ready to provide emergency medical services.
Eric King
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