The evolution of the fire department and e learning
1. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
Keith T. Mitchell
Lead Instructor/Curriculum Developer
Fire Protection Technology
ktmitchell2@waketech.edu
Wake Technical Community College
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES
2. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
About Me
• Retired – U.S. Air Force > 2004 > 21 years
Master Instructor (2,000 hours or more
classroom teaching).
• Originally from – Flint, Michigan
• Teaching Experience – Over 30 years
U.S. Air Force > Corporate America >
Government Contractor > Higher Education
3. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
My Credentials
Ph.D. candidate at Walden University with a double
major in Law & Public Policy.
Executive MPA from Golden Gate University
Bachelor of Science in Fire Science Management from
Southern Illinois University.
Two Associate degrees from the Community College
of the Air Force. One is in Fire Science and the other is
in, Instructor of Technology & Military Science.
4. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
Why am I here today?
As educational institutions have realized that classroom
courses are not feasible to fire department personnel due
to the nature of the work schedules at a fire station,
e-Learning is now the wave of the future for fire
protection nationwide. Due to the increase in online
learning versus classroom learning, fire department
personnel are now able to attend a course online without
the need to take time off from work or wait till their next
day off, which is referred to as a Kelly Day.
5. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
History of the Fire Department
In Boston, Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin assembled a
group of thirty men to form the Union Fire Company on
December 7, 1736. Their equipment included "leather
buckets, with strong bags and baskets (for packing and
transporting goods), which were to be brought to every fire.
The blaze battlers met monthly to talk about fire prevention
and fire-fighting methods. Homeowners were mandated to
have leather fire-fighting buckets in their houses.
(Courtesy of; USHistory.org)
6. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
Where do we stand today?
26,000 Fire Departments - United States
1,242 Fire Departments – North Carolina
30 Fire Departments – Wake County
PAID & VOLUNTEER
(Courtesy of:firedepartment.net)
7. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
TYPICAL FIREFIGHTER WORKING HOURS
Depends on the fire department
24 hours on – 24 hours off (two shifts)
24 hours on – 48 hours off (three shifts)
48 hours on – 72 hours off (four shifts)
The fire station has to be manned around the
clock, for seven days a week.
8. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
KNOWLEDGE TEST
1. Number of fire departments in the U.S.
2. Number of hours per day that a fire station
is manned.
3. Bonus Question > What is a Kelly Day?
9. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
TYPICAL COLLEGE CAMPUS
CLASSROOM HOURS
Varies
Set Schedule
10. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
Remember that;
The fire station has to be manned 24 hours around
the clock, for seven days a week.
(Paid or Volunteer Dept.)
The question is;
If a firefighter wants to attend a class that meets
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, how can he
attend the class if he is working a 24 hour or 48
hour shift on the days that class is in session?
11. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
PAID or CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL
Career firefighters are on a salary.
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL
Volunteer firefighters get paid by the number of
calls they go on. Volunteers get paid bi- yearly or
whatever system is set up by their State Fire
Service.
12. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
Firefighter thoughts
My dilemma is that I
need to attend class
this week but my shift
is working when class
is in session.
What are my options?
13. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
1) Request to take paid vacation for the dates/times
that I am working.
2) Request to have someone who is off duty, to come
in and work for me.
3) Only attend class when I am on my ‘Kelly day’ (day
off) and not attend when I am on duty.
4) Request to attend class and take the truck to the
campus while I am in class. (Entire crew with you
and, is the campus in your response area)
14. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
KNOWLEDGE TEST
1. One option to attend class at your campus?
2. Second option to attend class at your
campus?
3. A problem that I mayencounter if we bring
the fire truck to the campus?
15. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
WHY DOES A FIREFIGHTER NEED A COLLEGE
DEGREE TO DO HIS OR HER JOB?
In the past a firefighter could climb the career ladder through
experience and training. At this particular time of the fire
service, a degree wasn’t important. But that has changed over
the last decade, experts say, as the fire safety industry has
followed the lead of corporations and other government
agencies, where virtually all top executives hold bachelor's
degrees, and many have advanced degrees.
(Courtesy of; Inside Higher Ed)
16. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
Deputy Fire Marshall – Davidson County
Educational Requirements
Preferred graduation from an accredited college
with a two year degree in fire science or related
field.
Position Description
17. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
In recent years, community colleges and for-profit
institutions have taken notice of the growing demand
from the nation’s 336,000 career firefighters. More
institutions have created fire safety programs in recent
years, typically associate degrees. And state and national
groups that represent firefighters, like the U.S. Fire
Administration, have addressed the growth with new
Guidelines for professional development.
(Courtesy of; Inside Higher Ed)
18. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
How can we at the community college level
assist our nations firefighters in obtaining a
degree to further their education and make
completing a college education more
accessible?
19. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
What is e-Learning?
e-Learning is the use of technology to
enable people to learn anytime and
anywhere. e-Learning can include training,
the delivery of just-in-time information and
guidance from experts.
(Courtesy of: e-Learning Consulting)
20. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
What is distance learning?
Distance learning occurs when there is a
separation between the instructor and the
student, usually due to geographical or time
concerns that prevent the student from
attending an on-campus course
(Courtesy of: Distance Learning Net)
21. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND E-LEARNING
EXPECTED INCREASE
IN FIRE DEPARTMENT
POSITIONS.
Employment
opportunities for
firefighters are
expected to increase
12 percent by 2016,
according to the
Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
22. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
We at the community college level need to be
ready by offering courses that to pertain to the fire
protection career field in an e-learning format.
Wake Tech – FIP A.A.S.
Distance Learning Program
100% Online
(Launched – Fall 2013)
23. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
What’s the catch?
All of the courses taught do not require the use
of specialized equipment or lab hours.
Fire Truck or Firefighting Equipment
24. THE EVOLUTION OF THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND E-LEARNING
What are we doing to make our program more
attractive?
Promoting it to our students, local fire
departments, conferences, and events.
And we have taken it to another step and made it
more diverse.
(Minorities / Women)
