FY2011 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2011 | Page 37

The Fire Training Section is responsible for ensuring the
professional competence of all emergency responders in
in the Arlington Fire Department
The Training Section is committed to all Arlington Fire
personnel to prepare them to meet the organizational
mission by providing quality emergency services to
citizens, visitors, and surrounding communities. All
programs are developed to provide the proper quantity,
quality, and progressiveness to enable all AFD personnel
to provide the highest level of life safety and public
service. Curricula
are developed and training delivered to meet current Federal,
State and local requirements. AFD Training will continue to
research trends in training within trade journals, national
standards, and through professional affiliations to improve the
capabilities of our personnel.
The Fire Department uses a
multi-faceted approach to meet
the diverse training needs of
today‘s fire personnel. Areas of responsibility include certification
management, new skill acquisition/implementation, and company
evaluations. With the focus on future institutional knowledge transfer,
the Training Section plays a key role in the Department‘s member
development and promotional processes. This year the Training
Section introduced our ―15 Minutes of Tabletop Training‖ modules.
These modules are designed to facilitate company-level training and
give members an easy way to acquire training specific to low-frequency
events. The Fire Department‘s training mission equates to three simple
principles: Better, Safer, Faster.
The Arlington Fire Department uses live cable broadcasts for tactical exercises. A structure within the
city is designated for a scenario and participating personnel discuss the initial size up and incident
management strategies. This innovative program was highlighted in the April 2010 issue of Fire
Engineering magazine.
The Arlington Fire Department is certified by the State of Texas as a fire training academy. In 2011,
17 recruits underwent a 16-week academy and were certified as Basic Firefighters and Hazardous
Materials Technicians prior to assignment at fire stations. The Training Section also helped launch the
Arlington Independent School District‘s ―High School Fire Academy.‖ This program partners the City of
Arlington, the Arlington Independent School District, and Tarrant County College to provide a positive
career path for Arlington youths.

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Working Together to Make Arlington Better.