COFT - COUNCIL ON FIREFIGHTER TRAINING

1.	Implement a system to stay in close contact with fire departments, including reinstating regional training coordinators.
		Much work has been done in addressing this aspect and in becoming more in tune with the needs of the various fire departments across the state.
			a.		During 2007, OSU - Fire Service Training has reinstated four Regional Training Coordinators to work in each quadrant of the state to tell fire departments about their courses. This is much-needed and very helpful.
			b.		In addition, the Oklahoma Department of Career Technology has created a position exclusively for liaison with the Oklahoma fire service. This was also an excellent addition.
		There are approximately 1000 departments spread across Oklahoma. All but 45-50 departments are either volunteer or combination departments. Keeping in contact is very challenging as the majority have no regular office hours. There have been 11 Rural Fire Coordinators who work day and night, year round to provide other types of technical assistance. They work very hard and are heavily overloaded with all the travel and unusual hours required.

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

		Having RTAs who 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 Training Task Force. The Oklahoma Legislature also legally assigned the responsibility of identifying firefighter training needs and goals to COFT.
		c.		Consequently, COFT proposed a program of Regional Training Advisors to the leadership at the Capitol in its FY2008 budget requests, which received some funding. RTAs will reach out to the fire departments in their service areas. They will survey these departments about their training needs. Collecting this information is best done by an entity that is not a training provider, as was emphasized by both the 2006 and 2007 Training Task Forces. RTAs will also provide guidance on methods to evaluate what training is most needed by their departments as a group, as well as on an individual basis.

				RTAs would assist their area departments in working towards having a framework to identify training needs annually for their departments firefighters. Bringing together the information from individual departments into area training needs and then regional training needs, COFT can arrive at the overall state firefighter training needs, which is one of the original duties assigned to it by the Legislature.
2.	Career Techs and OSU - FST would collaborate more. Both would partner with Oklahoma fire departments to support in-house training.
		Exceptional progress has been made in this arena. COFT has coordinated articles in the statewide fire service newspaper highlighting training by both providers.
		a.		Now, OSU - Fire Service Training and the Career Technology Centers are working together more. Many courses offered at the Career Tech Centers are utilizing instructors from OSU - FST.
		b.		Both organizations have been actively involved together in many meetings and planning sessions, including COFT's 2007 Training Task Force sessions.
		c.		During this year's Training Task Force work, COFT gathered some preliminary information on Oklahoma fire departments who have in-house training and which departments currently use and plan to use which providers in the future.
		Continued collaboration is expected.
3.	Oklahoma needs a steady source of appropriated funds which are 100% dedicated to training.
		As we move ahead, it is becoming more and more clear that this is a major concern. Every aspect related to ALL- Hazards firefighter training in Oklahoma, regardless of the in-house or the provider involved is tied to funding. Because of this, COFT is devoting time and energy to address the funding challenge so that it is not an insurmountable obstacle, every year.
4.	Use mobile props to take training to local areas... along with
5.	OSU - FST's Professional Skills Center provides design and construction of props.
		a.		OSU - Fire Service Training is making good use of its existing units and is working on more. By utilizing students from welding classes and other courses on campus, OSU - FST is able to produce props very cost-effectively. Demand is increasing and extra funding is needed.
		b.		Career Tech Centers can make arrangements for using some of them when OSU - FST instructors are involved and props are available. Having more training sites across the state increases the need for more. Career Tech has indicated challenges in having enough of the props and specialized equipment needed for instruction. More funding is needed.
		NOTE: In the 2007 Training Task Force focused on Career Firefighter Training, larger departments with career firefighters also identified their need for more training props as a major need.
6.	OSU - FST develops high-quality curriculum
		a.		OSU - Fire Service Training is continuing to develop curriculum.
		b.		Career Tech Centers are frequently utilizing OSU - FST curriculum.
				It is anticipated that good forward momentum will continue in this arena.
7.	Basic firefighter training for firefighters across the state should be at no cost.
		Everyone is especially excited about the progress on this front. Extra funding provided by the Legislature to both OSU - FST and to the Oklahoma Department of Career Technology is making it possible for volunteer firefighters who previously could not afford it, to get basic firefighter training. Both OSU - FST and the Career Tech Centers are aggressively pursuing the use of these new funds and scheduling training classes. In addition, COFT is helping get the word out. COFT is working to review the impact of these funds.

8.	Regional training sites around the state so that everyone is within a reasonable distance to travel.
		Everyone understands now the challenges faced by volunteer firefighters with regard to training. The volunteers are giving up additional time to take the training. They must squeeze it into their own full schedules, since they have full-time work elsewhere. All those involved are working to bring training closer to each group of volunteer firefighters. There are many advantages. For example, when a department has an onsite training session, then they can utilize the equipment which they would actually use on the scene. In addition, a greater number of the members of their volunteer department could hopefully participate. Many more instructors than currently exist would be required to accomplish this, but it is an ideal to work towards. In the meantime, new regional programs have been started in 2007. OSU - FST held one of them recently in Lawton in which COFT also participated. Utilizing the Career Tech Centers for firefighter training is also a step toward achieving this.
COFT and the other parties will work towards continued improvement on all of these issues to address volunteer firefighter needs. The Training Task Force on Volunteer Training will be re-convened in early 2008 so that progress can be reported and further development can continue.
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