Consulting
Improve Fire Department Recruiting, Training, Workforce Development
Build bigger, more capable rosters meeting NFPA standards. Our focused initiative(s) will build your roster and fill it with certified firefighters with proven tactics.
We help you fill the seats on the fire apparatus with competent firefighters every time it goes out the door.
From better hiring practices, to workforce development programs, to volunteer recruitment and training, we bring necessary change to improve measurable outcomes.
Measurable outcome improvements include:
- Higher percentage of certified firefighters / members
- Younger roster
- Better prepared workforce upon date of hire / inception
- Bigger academy classes
- Less turnover
- Better hiring practices
HR departments are versed at hiring 40-hour-per-week general labor and salary employees. However, HR departments frequently need specific guidance on testing, hiring, and retaining 24-hour licensed and certified employees. Working with volunteers on issues like workers compensation insurance is an example where HR departments struggle for answers. Firefighters have a completely different set of FLSA, occupational fitness screening, regulatory, counseling, and promotional needs than HR directors are accustomed to. Our expert staff at TUF helps you bridge that divide.
Fire Department Training Program Improvement and Support
From academy (initial firefighter training) to officer training, TUF supports your training programs. Big or small department. Career, volunteer, combination, we have transformed all sizes of training programs to achieve better outcomes. TUF helps fire departments build long-standing quality training programs that exude high expectations, improve ISO rates, and increase cost-effectiveness.
We help fire departments improve candidate firefighter outcomes resulting in longer, more fulfilled careers.
Measurable improvements include:
- Passing rate on certification testing
- Career performance, longevity, return on initial investment of time and money
- Skills and tactical performance
- Radio communications
- Respect for chain of command and its inherent values
- Civic responsibilities and expectations
- Respect for the flag of our country
- Street readiness, mental preparation
- Station life preparation and expectations, i.e. pride in uniform, turnout gear, equipment, participation in function of the house, physical fitness
- FTO feedback
- Skills development pathway achievements completed for first 2 years of duty
- Firefighter II level certification in first year of duty, including all pre-requisites
- Safe behaviors from day 1, i.e. roadway safety awareness, carcinogen exposure
Online training support materials in multiple languages to normalize micro-learning and other social learning concepts, equipment training, SOG development, task analysis, training cadre development, leadership coaching, problem solving, and more. No textbooks needed. Customized to your needs.
Fire Department Officer Training Program Improvement and Support
Many, if not most, departments have barely enough time and resources to focus on regulatory fire and EMS training requirements to focus on officer and leadership training.
Reliance on sending officers out conferences and workshops to meet their minimum ISO training requirements of 12 hours per year is fraught with shortcomings, expense, and inconsistency, While some high level learning takes place at conferences, and there is value, rarely does this training result in measurable change in daily performance or practices department-wide. It may even promote contrasts in performance and effectiveness between crews and shifts.
TUF Officer Training quarterly in-person, virtual, and online promotes the consistency fire department officers need to improve performance, meet expectations, and meet the ISO objective of 12 hours of officer training for each officer per year. TUF's quarterly officer training program features high level instructors with decades of leadership and fireground experience.
Workshop style training features the ability to practice skills, get immediate feedback and hold meaningful discussion. Bringing out your department's leadership values and spreading them job-wide is a vital part of what we do.
Improved Outcomes in Fire Department Response, Risk Reduction, and Loss Reduction
Better training results in faster extinguishment, less injury exposure, less time on scene, less property loss, and better resource utilization.
The citizens we serve suffer less when fire department training programs are on par with community and national expectations.
Members have more rewarding fire department careers when they have great training, and they stick around longer.
Fire Department Health, Safety, Risk Reduction Services
Firefighter health and safety, risk reduction, training program development, pre-planning, root cause mishap analysis help identify training needs and necessary program changes.
Electric Vehicle Fire Community Risk Reduction, Planning and Readiness
Is your community EV-Ready? Can your infrastructure survive a single EV fire? A fleet EV fire? Do your fire codes meet the focused threat of EV fires? Our on-site educational and consulting help you meet today's fire threats.