OVERVIEW   on 
REGIONAL  TRAINING  ADVISORS   [RTAs]

Public Safety is the over-riding priority with all work done by COFT. Having adequate apparatus, equipment, and operating funds is essential.  But, the lack of appropriate training also impacts the amount of protection provided.

Training is the best way to assure Oklahoma’s firefighters are well-prepared to protect our citizens and communities, when coupled with sufficient apparatus, equipment, and operating funds.

Firefighting is extremely dangerous work. Firefighters put their lives on the line every time they respond to a call. Firefighter training is also crucial in minimizing firefighter deaths and injuries.

Having COFT’s Regional Training Advisors out in the field to interact directly with the departments is an important element of knowing what firefighter training needs actually are across the many fire departments that serve our state.

2) Establishing priorities for firefighter training need

Because there is a finite amount of funding currently available for firefighter training, it becomes necessary to determine priorities for the monies that are available.

Having RTAs who will spend time with fire departments specifically on training needs helps reveal what the top priorities should be to work steadily towards the optimal level of training. Evaluation done by 2006 Training Task Force revealed that this is best done by a non-training provider, which was also supported by the 2007 group. The Oklahoma Legislature also legally assigned the responsibility of identifying firefighter training needs and goals to COFT.

Oklahoma has a great diversity of types and sizes of fire departments, most with minimal administrative support staff. At the same time, there are multiple training providers across Oklahoma. Historically, there has not always been close coordination. The 2006 Training Task Force, looking into firefighter training needs, pinpointed the need for increased coordination, which was echoed by the expanded 2007 Training Task Force. Various reasons have kept many Oklahoma firefighters from getting the training they need. These obstacles need to be clearly identified and addressed.

Since its inception, COFT has been working with various training providers, numerous agencies and organizations in the Oklahoma fire service community. Cooperation is increasing, but there is still a need for more coordination. As part of our first Training Task Force for the State of Oklahoma, the inquiry was made about having Rural Fire Coordinators work on this task, but their already heavy workload prevents them from doing this. Furthermore, the work extends beyond exclusively rural fire departments as was underscored by the second Training Task Force who was focusing on career firefighter training.

COFT’s RTAs will reach out to fire departments in their service areas. They will find out what obstacles stand in the way of these departments getting the training needed so that they can be addressed. The need for the collection of this information to be done by an entity that is not a training provider was emphasized by both the 2006 and 2007 Training Task Forces.

While working on collection of information on training needs, RTAs can also let departments know what assistance is currently available to them with regard to firefighter training. Duties for RTAs will include attending county meetings and other related events such as pipeline safety meetings that involve their respective service areas. This would also include the annual Training Task Force sessions, the annual Volunteer Caucus, State Fire School, Winter Workshop, Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association conference, and Oklahoma State Firefighters Association conference, and Fire Service Instructors of Oklahoma’s annual conference. They will also be reaching out to area fire departments on an individual basis. The RTAs will also share information about various training incentive / recognition programs, currently available.