Russ Grossman
Field Programs Coordinator
grossman@dps.state.ia.us

The Field Programs section of the Fire Service Training Bureau delivers hundreds of courses to Iowa Fire Departments each year. Participants choose course topics ranging from basic fire fighting skills to advanced fire strategies and tactics. Only qualified instructors teach these programs to assure the fire service receives the best instruction available. The majority of courses can be delivered directly to the requesting fire departments and regional fire schools through Mobile Training Units, and In-House Training kits, but "on-site" training is available at the Fire Service Training Bureau as well.

To schedule courses, contact a Field Programs Coordinator, or the
Fire Service Training Bureau at:

Phone: 515-294-6817 or toll free at (888) 469-2374
FAX: 515-294-2156 or (800) 722-7350

Field Programs Course List

Courses available through the FSTB

Basic Firefighter Skills

• Essentials of Firefighter I (2008)
• Essentials of Firefighter II (2008)
• Interior Fire Attack (using the Interior Fire Attack Simulator)
• Advanced Breathing Apparatus Training (using the Smoke Trailer)
• Live Fire Skills (at FSTB only)
• Vehicle Firefighting
• Rapid Intervention Teams
• Various firefighter skills – individual topics in 3-hour, 6-hour, 9-hour, and 12-hour formats

Hazardous Materials/Terrorism

• Hazardous Materials: Awareness Level
• Hazardous Materials: Operations Level
• Emergency Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts (NFA)
• Emergency Response to Terrorism: Tactical Considerations – Company Officer (NFA)
• Emergency Response to Terrorism: Tactical Considerations – EMS (NFA)
• Emergency Response to Terrorism: Tactical Considerations – Hazardous Materials (NFA)
• Propane Emergencies
• Pipeline Emergencies
• Ammonia Emergency Response
• Flammable Gases (at FSTB only)

Instructor Training

• Instructor I
• Instructor II
• Training Operations in Small Departments (NFA)
• Compliance with NFPA 1403 (Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions)

Officer Supervision, Leadership and Development Training

• Fire Department Company Officer (Fire Officer I and Fire Officer II)
• National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Incident Command System (ICS-100, 200, 300, 400)
• Leadership I – Strategies for Company Success  (NFA)
• Leadership II – Strategies for Personal Success  (NFA)
• Leadership III – Strategies for Supervisory Success  (NFA)
• Strategy and Tactics for Initial Company Operations (NFA)
• Preparation for Initial Company Operations (NFA)
• Health and Safety Officer (NFA)
• Incident Safety Officer (NFA)
• Incident Command System for the Fire Service (NFA)
• Incident Command System for Emergency Medical Services (NFA)
• Chief Officer Training Curriculum (NFA)
• Line of Duty Death and Injury: WHY?  (NFA)

Prevention, Inspection and Investigation

• Fire/Arson Investigation School (at FSTB), offered by the Division of State Fire Marshal
• Fire Inspector I
• Arson Detection for the First Responder (NFA)
• Fire Prevention for First Responders and Small Departments (NFA)
• Introduction to Fire Inspection Principles and Practices (NFA)

Rescue Training

• Confined Space Entry & Rescue
• Vehicle Extrication
• Combine Rescue and Tractor Roll-Over, in cooperation with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS)
• Rope Rescue, Water and Ice Rescue, Grain Bin Rescue, and Trench Rescue, in cooperation with Professional Rescue Innovations (PRI)

Specialized Training

• Driver/Operator: Pumping Apparatus
• Driver/Operator: Aerial Apparatus
• Emergency Vehicle Driver Training (VFIS)
• Principles of Building Construction: Noncombustible (NFA)
• Principles of Building Construction: Combustible (NFA)

NOTES:         

• NFA = National Fire Academy hand-off courses
• "at FSTB only" = courses available only at FSTB’s central facility in Ames
• VFIS = Volunteer Fire Insurance Services

All Courses Include:

• Appropriate student materials
• Audio/visual media
• One instructor (unless otherwise specifically noted)
• Instructor wages and expenses
• All course materials are shipped to the instructor prior to the course
• Individual certificates for each participant

Host Responsibilities:

• Provide a location suitable for the course topic and activities
• Provide audio/visual equipment

Fire Service Training Bureau Responsibilities:

• Provide schedule and pay the instructor
• Provide single financial statement/billing
• Provide course coordination
• Provide certificates for participants
• Record student course attendance records in statewide transcript database
  

In-House Training

Fire departments with “certified instructors” may borrow teaching kits from the Bureau at little or no cost.  Certified instructors teach the course “in-house,’ complete the Bureau’s paperwork, and return the materials to the Bureau.  The Bureau will transcript the course, and issue course completion certificates.  The following “in-house” programs are available:

• Essentials of Firefighter I
• Essentials of Firefighter II
• Driver/Operator: Pumping Apparatus
• Driver/Operator: Aerial Apparatus
• Incident Command System (ICS)
• Line of Duty Death and Injury: WHY?
• Breathing Apparatus Simulator (mobile training unit)
• Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT)
• Propane Emergencies (classroom portion only)
• Pipeline Emergencies
• Ammonia Emergency Response
• Confined Space Entry & Rescue
• National Fire Academy “short courses”
• National Incident Management System (NIMS IS-700)

Mobile Training Units

The Fire Service Training Bureau supports many of its courses with “mobile training units.”  These MTU’s can be delivered to any location in Iowa to support many training activities. 

These MTU’s include:

• Interior Fire Attack Simulator
• Mobile Breathing Apparatus Trailer
• Vehicle and Machinery Extrication Trainer
• Confined Space Entry & Rescue Trainer
• LP Gas Trainer
• LP Gas “Bobtail” Trainer
• Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) Trainer
• Pump Trainer
• Air Cascade System

On-Site Training

The Fire Service Training Bureau, at its fixed facility in Ames, has the following “props” to support “on-site” training courses:

• Skills building
• Confined space “entry” prop
• Various flammable gas props, including hot tub, sprinkler, jungle gym, pipeline, etc.
• Drafting pit
• Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) pit
• Hazardous Materials “Tanker Rollover” prop
• Vehicle Fire prop
• Dumpster fire prop

The Fire Service Training Bureau maintains a cadre of qualified field instructors to teach courses and serve as test evaluators on a part-time basis.  Currently, the Bureau has over 300 field instructors scattered throughout the state.  Our field instructors are members of career and/or volunteer fire departments in Iowa.  Each field instructor, at a minimum, is certified at the Firefighter II and Instructor I levels.  Many of these instructors are certified at additional professional qualification levels.

Current Field Staff may link to the FSTB Payroll Form to download the current payroll form.

For those firefighters interested in joining the Bureau’s Field Staff, please link to the Field Staff Application and follow the instructions in the application package.