The Action Training Systems Emergency Responder Blog

Action Training Systems (ATS) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have announced the 50 winners of the 2014 ATS/NVFC $250K Training Giveaway. The announcement comes during International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week, which this year focuses on the importance of all personnel receiving adequate training with the theme of “Train Like You Fight.”

The 50 winning departments will each receive a one-year subscription for 20 learners and one administrator to the Essentials of Fire Fighting series via the ATS Online Learning Management System. This totals nearly $250,000 worth of online training. The series contains 33 interactive courses, streaming video, and PowerPoints to teach Firefighter I and II skills and prerequisite knowledge. Essentials of Fire Fighting teaches to the current NFPA 1001 standards and can be used as a training resource to simplify technical knowledge and reinforce training objectives. The department administrator can track the progress of up to 20 students through the program. All applicants also receive a 10% discount off of any ATS training program.

“We are pleased to partner with ATS to help these 50 volunteer departments get essential training that they otherwise were unable to afford for their personnel,” said NVFC Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. “We received hundreds of applications, demonstrating the critical need for this type of program. We thank ATS for recognizing this need and making the commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of these departments through this training giveaway.”

“I would like to personally congratulate the recipients of the 2014 ATS/NVFC Training Giveaway and also thank the NVFC for their support throughout this program,” said Action Training Systems President George A. Avila Jr. “I would also like to recognize the men and women of the volunteer fire service for their commitment and sacrifice to their respective communities. The volunteer fire service has a long history of contributing to the public safety of their communities across the country, and it is essential that each member has adequate training resources to ensure their safety and the safety of their community. ”

To be eligible, departments had to be all or mostly volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be legally organized within one of the 50 U.S. states, and demonstrate a true need for the training that they could not meet on their own. Over 500 departments applied for the giveaway. A total of 50 winning departments were selected, representing 48 states.

The recipients of the 2014 ATS Training Giveaway are as follows:

• Alabama - Boldo Volunteer Fire and Rescue
• Alabama - Dixons Mills Volunteer Fire Department
• Alaska - Klawock Volunteer Fire Department
• Arizona - Happy Jack Fire Services Inc.
• Arkansas - Upper White Oak Lake Volunteer Fire Department
• California - Ben Lomond Fire Protection District
• Colorado - Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department
• Connecticut - Harwinton Volunteer Fire Department
• Florida - Liberty Fire District
• Georgia - Gresston Volunteer Fire Department
• Idaho - Bliss Fire District
• Illinois - Dalzell Fire Protection District
• Indiana - Clarksburg Volunteer Fire
• Iowa - Farley Volunteer Fire Department
• Kansas - Lincoln First Rural Fire
• Kentucky - Oldtown Volunteer Fire Department
• Louisiana - Washington Parish Fire District #9
• Maine - Kenduskeag Volunteer Fire Department
• Maryland - Leitersburg Volunteer Fire Company
• Massachusetts - Oakham Fire Department
• Michigan - Wildwood Fire Rescue
• Minnesota - Shevlin Volunteer Fire Department
• Mississippi - East Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department
• Missouri - Kinsey Volunteer Fire Department
• Missouri - Gorin Volunteer Fire Department
• Montana - St. Labre Volunteer Fire Department
• Nebraska - Randolph Volunteer Fire and Rescue
• Nevada - Peavine Volunteer Fire Department
• New Hampshire - South Hampton Fire Department
• New Jersey - Keansburg Fire Department
• New Mexico - Latir Volunteer Fire Department
• New York - Hurleyville Fire Department
• North Carolina - Sterlings Volunteer Fire Department
• North Dakota - Stanley Fire Department
• Ohio - Terrace Park Fire Department
• Oklahoma - Delaware Volunteer Fire Department
• Oregon - City of Antelope Fire Department
• Pennsylvania - Heights Fire Company #1
• Rhode Island - Harmony Fire District
• South Carolina - Pimlico Rural Volunteer Fire Department
• South Dakota - Tyndall Fire Department
• Tennessee - Midtown Volunteer Fire Department
• Texas - Bartlett Volunteer Fire Department
• Utah - Orderville Fire Department
• Vermont - Franklin Volunteer Fire Department
• Virginia - Craigsville Volunteer Fire Company
• Washington - Ruston Fire Department
• West Virginia - New Haven and Community Volunteer Fire Department
• Wisconsin - Silver Cliff Fire Department
• Wyoming - Bar Nunn Volunteer Fire Department

About Action Training Systems
Action Training Systems is a multi-media production company with over 26 years of experience developing training programs for emergency responders. Its interactive programs are proven to significantly increase learner competency, and are all based on current national standards. With over 200 EMS training and firefighter training programs available, these programs are great tools for initial or recurrent training. Learn more and view a training demo at www.action-training.com.

About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides invaluable tools, resources, programs, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org. 

As the Lead Instructor or Officer in Charge of Emergency Services Training for your department you understand how absolutely critical your training program is to protecting your community and the lives of your employees and volunteers.  

You take your responsibility seriously and probably lose more than a little sleep worrying about your people and your responsibility to them.   

Your reputation and the lives of your team members are on the line every single hour of every single day.  Ongoing training is absolutely critical as reported by Fire Fighter Nation. 

They point out that when candidates graduate from the academy they have only the basic skills necessary to be an effective firefighter.  They need both hands-on training and ongoing course work to develop and maintain the proper techniques to keep themselves safe and effective.

Most of the early training firefighters receive is focused on fire control yet according to the article, "more than half (55 percent) of all 911 calls responded to by the American fire service involve a medical emergency; less than 10 percent involve actual fire" 

That is why the programs offered by Action Training Systems include a heavy focus on responding to and handling medical emergencies. 

Not a day goes by that you are not thinking of ways to improve your program - keeping every team member up to date and in compliance with all regulations. You work very hard to provide all the tools your teams need to be effective, responsive and safe. 

Action Training Systems offers a full set of training courses designed to make your job easier and help you sleep better at night knowing you are providing the absolute best training available to your teams.

Emergency Response Training Programs are available in the following specialties:

• Firefighter including Firefighter I & II, HAZMAT, Driver/Operator, Vehicle Extrication, Rapid Intervention, Rescue, Fire Officer, Simulation and more

• EMS Training for First Responders including Emergency Medical Technician Training

• Industrial Emergency Response Training including Industrial Fire Brigade Training

To learn more about the training programs from Action can compliment your efforts contact us today and sleep better tonight.

There are some jobs that are in need of constant training. Firefighting is one of them. For trainers, finding new, interesting, and relevant training material can sometimes be difficult. As a trainer, you want to find good material that will help your crew enhance their abilities. 

There are many different training courses available, but Online Fire Training may be the best option for you and your crew.

Benefits of Online Courses

1. They can be accessed from a Windows or Mac computer. 
2. Fireman can log on with their own personal id whenever needed.
3. Training can take place at the firehouse during down time. In addition, training can be paused and resumed as needed.
4. Printable certificates and online tracking are available to record training history.
5. Flexible subscription options for every budget.
6. No files or content to download and automatic updates for new material. You can access everything from the site page. 
7. Interactive courses for the trainees and high quality video to reinforce the training.
8. A variety of different course work is available for firemen of different levels and skill sets. This ensures that everyone receives adequate and appropriate training tailored to their needs.
9. Power points, streaming videos, and instructor materials are available for your use. You can decide when and how to use the instruction material.
10. There is a free fourteen day trial period to test out the training course from a company that has been offering training material for over twenty-six years.

For more information on how online fire training can help you during your next training, contact us.

View Course DEMOS

One of the most revered professions in the world today is that of the firefighter. Motivated by purely selfless compassion for their fellow human beings, firefighters place themselves in harm's way to extricate victims from a variety of hazardous environments. While society expresses gratitude and awe for these brave professionals, the perils of the job make fire service training crucial for the safety of both rescuer and victim.

Firefighters must perform many duties throughout their careers (Essentials of Firefighting) The most widely publicized responsibility of a firefighter is of course to extinguish threatening blazes in any number of settings--townhouses, apartment complexes, detached homes, warehouses, and even wide open spaces. Possessing the expertise to recognize the chaotic patterns of one of nature's most destructive forces is not innate; indeed, that knowledge must be learned so that victims can be rescued and fire personnel leave unscathed. 

Firefighters must also be able to operate highly specialized machinery (Driver/Operator Training)--firetrucks, hoses, extinguishers, pumps, hydrants, etc.--with a dexterity that permits the quickest action in the most stressful situations. Emergencies never slow down while firefighting personnel struggle with the very equipment that is supposed to save lives. Training in the intricacies of these tools is absolutely essential to preserving life.

Unfortunately, fires are only one of the many dangers that threaten life and property. Hazardous materials, natural disasters such as floods and tornadoes, and accidents are ever present in both small and large societies. As trained emergency medical technicians, fire personnel are able to treat critically wounded individuals, even after rescuing them from the very situation that caused them such harm.

In addition to the observed work of the firefighter, there are many unseen expectations that a firefighter must maintain. With any incident, there will be reports that must be completed to record the event and the response. While any type of paperwork can be a bit tedious, such documentation is absolutely essential to the integrity of the system. Consequently, firefighters must know how to properly complete such reports.

Equally important to the written report, firefighters must ensure that their minds and bodies are at peak levels of performance. Regular drills and physical fitness training become routine in the life of fire service professionals. Understanding the reason behind these measures, but also adopt the lessons learned from these experiences will guarantee that the firefighter is the best prepared they can be.

Fire service training provides the solid foundation for such a meaningful career; in fact, the societies and victims that a firefighter will assist in the future demand no less than the very best training possible. Please contact us today to begin the exceptional training that will positively affect so many.

Action Training Systems is far from the new kid on the block when it comes to developing courses for the emergency responder. Blending more than 25 years of experience with quality video content while keeping a focus on current national standards, our EMS Training programs have been approved by CECBEMS, the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services.

In a fast-paced world where time is always of the essence, Action Training Systems is a fast-track solution to a career in emergency services. Our interactive online courses combine technology with proven training methods that are designed for the next generation of emergency service leaders. With hours of training, the courses don’t cut corners on the essential knowledge needed to stay safe and treat patients safely on the job.

If you’re still having doubts about a video-based program, consider this:

- Action Training provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date skills-based training as part of our EMS training series. Curriculum includes both EMR (first responder) and EMT level training, and teaches according to the most current, nationally recognized pre-hospital emergency medical guidelines.

- All of our training objectives were developed in accordance with National EMS Education Standards and skills from the National Registry of EMTs.

- All content and course oversight is provided by a program committee of qualified EMS educators, pre-hospital care providers and medical professionals.

Remember, all Action Training Systems EMS online courses are approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit for emergency medical responders and EMTs. If you have questions, contact us today to speak to an account manager about your EMS training goals.

Firefighters must be trained for so much more than fire fighting. As public servants on the front lines, firefighters are often the first on the scene for any number of cataclysmic events. One of the most common incidents that firefighting professionals encounter is car accidents; unfortunately, some of these accidents will require that victims be extricated from their vehicles. It is precisely such cases that call for the expertise only found in those who have successfully completed vehicle extrication training.

Every accident has its own characteristics. The vehicle's make and model, the accident's location, the position of the vehicle, and the severity of the victim's injuries are just some of the factors that must weigh heavily on how the professionals address each situation; however, the result must remain the same--safely removing the victim from an entirely unsafe environment in an expedient amount of time.

Since there are so many variables in an accident, it is essential that some of the basic strategies for such cases be invariable. Consider, for instance, some of the following parameters that must be considered, no matter the conditions:

1. Stabilization has always been one of the first tasks for the responding crew, but today offers a variety of new products that more quickly and efficiently complete this step. Keeping up with this new equipment takes recent and specialized training.
2. Just as with the stabilization devices, there is new glass removal equipment that allows the glass to be taken out in a more controlled manner so that neither the victim nor the responders are sprayed with additional glass. This equipment also allows the responders more access to the victim.
3. Removing the door provides the best access to the victim, but each vehicle's make and model provides a different set of principles that must be employed. Where brute force may work okay in certain circumstances, finesse is better used in another. Crews must be trained to recognize which to use when.
4. Like door removal, roof removal proves to be quite challenging. Where a door can possibly be removed by a single firefighter, a roof will require a team effort. Crews must be trained to recognize the sequence of cuts that should be made for successful roof removal.
5. Once the door and/or roof is removed, it's not at all uncommon to find the victim pinned down by the dashboard. It is paramount that crews know how to handle this situation when it arises, and it will. Whether jacking with spreaders, rolling using rams, or using any other technique, crews must have the training they need to perform this task quickly and efficiently. At the scene is never the time to talk about theories that may or may not work.

While the NFPA standards provide the principles and best practice guidelines for safely removing a trapped victim from a vehicle, those standards will not prove at all helpful without the proper training. Please   contact us today to discover how our training arms all first responders with the expertise that saves precious seconds on site.

Does your fire department believe that a large-scale hazardous material incident will never happen in your jurisdiction? In today's world hazardous materials are all around us. Most of America's hazardous materials and hazardous waste is transported across the country through small towns and large cities. So, any highway or railroad in your territory has the potential of becoming a hazardous material disaster site.

Fire officers and assistant fire officers need to enforce a ‘no excuses’ safety culture with regard to policies affecting firefighter safety.

Many people talk about “changing the culture” of the fire service to reduce firefighter injuries and fatalities, but what will that mean to you as a team leader? What are the characteristics of a safety culture and what are the practices for fostering it in your team?

Action Training Systems’ “Fire Officer I series” describes a safety culture as:

… a safety mindset that extends to every operation and activity – in the station, en route to emergencies, in training and in emergency response.

It means that fire officers and firefighters make safety a part of the thinking process for every potentially dangerous situation. The idea is to create an environment in which all firefighters comply routinely with safe practices and expect their colleagues to do the same.

A strong safety culture means understanding that safety protects everyone from tragedy – firefighters and the public they serve. As supervising fire officer, your job is to reinforce, refine and engrain that safety culture in your team.

Five ways you can do that include:  

1. Training and testing.
2. Enforce “no-excuses” compliance with safety policy and SOPs.
3. Walk the walk. Model SOPs and safe practices at all times.
4. Restate and re-emphasize safe practices in your communications.
5. Record, investigate and report all accidents and firefighter close-calls.  

#1 - Training and Testing

Training is where safety starts. Classroom and hands-on training are your best opportunities to educate your team about the importance of working within the system.

You can stop firefighters from acquiring bad habits in training by reinforcing or correcting their behavior.

Be sure that firefighters understand the dangers of deviating from established procedure. Also, discuss how your department's SOPs will counteract a potential hazard. Training is your firefighters’ best defense against accident or injury. But keep in mind that training in itself can be dangerous.

The U.S. Fire Administration reports that almost 10% of firefighter injuries and fatalities occur while training.

#2 - Enforce “No-Excuses” Compliance with Safety Policy

You’re not going to be liked for this, but when you accept the promotion to fire officer, this comes with the job. You’re expected to enforce safety policy regardless of who likes you or doesn’t like you. If firefighters resist the directive, explain why the policy is important. They have a right to disagree with it, but they must comply. If firefighters truly believe a practice is wrong, they must go through proper channels to implement a change.

#3 - Walk the Walk

You should know your department’s SOPs like the back of your hand and model safe practices at all times. Don’t take shortcuts, even if resources are limited.

#4 - Restate and Reemphasize Safety in Communications

Remind firefighters of safe practices on scene and in your radio commands when necessary.

#5 - Investigate and Report All Accidents and Near-Misses.

If an injury does occur, whether on the training ground or during an incident, follow your department's SOPs for reporting the accident. You should be prepared to help in the investigation and generate formal documents that explain your findings. By following SOPs, you’ll help your department respond to a possible time-loss claim and contribute to its wider knowledge about accidents to improve training, command and operations.

Encourage firefighters to discuss their “near-misses” as well. A near-miss is an unintentionally unsafe occurrence that probably would have resulted in serious injury or death had there not been a lucky break in the chain of events. The National Fire fighter Near-Miss Reporting System is a voluntary, confidential online reporting system that collects national data on near-misses with the goal of improving firefighter safety.

By sharing information about your near-misses though this system, you may save other firefighters’ lives. Enforcing safety and creating a safety culture isn’t easy. But on your most difficult days, it may help to remind yourself and your firefighters that you do it not just for their sake, but for the people they’ll go home to at the end of the day.

Firefighting is one of the world's most dangerous professions. Firefighters get hurt and killed in many unpredictable situations, but most of the fatalities are predictable and preventable. It behooves you to foster a culture in which your team supports safety as a matter of competence.

As company officer, you, more than any other member of the department, can save firefighters and their families from needless pain and suffering and ensure that everybody goes home.

Classroom Fire Training & EMS Training Tips

Make learning easier by using some of these tips. Even if you are able to get your students’ attention in the classroom, you want them to retain the information you provide and use it in hands-on training and out in the field.

1. Learner Preparation

Preparing the learner ahead of time has been proven to significantly increase learning readiness, assimilation, thinking and recall time. For example, give your students access to ATS Online courses relating to the course material you plan to cover in your classroom training session the next day.

2. Repetition

Habits, beliefs, values and self-image are all learned through repetition. Repeat key points throughout your presentation. Look for creative ways to revisit the same point; - simply saying the same thing over and over again can be frustrating for students.

3. Inside Scoop

Once you’ve got their immediate attention, give learners the inside scoop on something. Relate your topic of the day to a scenario that has happened close to home.

4. Personal Experience

Support the point you're making with first-hand experience. This not only enhances your credibility with the audience, but also proves your knowledge of the subject.

5. Questioning Techniques

Your audience will remember less than 30 percent of the sentences they hear during your presentation, but they will remember more than 85 percent of the questions you ask. By asking questions, you deepen the learner’s understanding and conviction. The best questions are ones that get your students thinking, shock them to attention or get their agreement. Check out ATS Interactive training courses or ATS question files to help with question ideas relating to specific Fire & EMS subject matter.

6. Startling Statistics

Numbers and statistics can lose your audience quicker than anything else. By using numbers carefully you can not only prove your point, but also surprise your class. Present only the numbers and statistics that are necessary to make your point. Where possible, round to the nearest whole number. Graphs and charts should be simple. Detailed calculations should be provided on a handout.

7. Analogies & Metaphors

The more complex your subject, the more important it is to use analogies and metaphors. Know your audience! Using a complex analogy to support complex material can be frustrating. Your words matter. If you are presenting something complex, simplify it with a metaphor.

8. Be Brief & Finish Early

People once had the attention span to sit and listen for much longer stretches than we do today. Now that we can get information more quickly, that amount of time is rapidly decreasing. Limit your subject content to approximately 20 minutes. If you plan to train for longer, break up the segments and compliment your audience by finishing up 5 minutes early.

9. Humor

Humor can be one of the most effective attention-getting techniques when used naturally and appropriately. Humor keeps the audience alert and awake. Laughter triggers the release of adrenaline and increases long-term retention of information. Humor makes audiences more relaxed, responsive and creative.

10. Each One Teach One

Online learning is HOT and for a very good reason. Many departments and organizations around the world are turning to online training/learning as a way to decrease costs and improve the learners performance. Also, unlike a one-time classroom session, the online learning course is available to be accessed anywhere and can be reviewed a number of times to enhance the learners comprehension.

Many fire departments and EMS organizations are turning to online learning as a means to supplement their classroom training. Now, it is very important you understand that online training is not meant to replace hands on training, but simply be used as a tool to train students in addition to hands on and classroom learning. You can easily have your students login in from home and review or study material before coming to your weekly training night or before drills, so that the material to be covered is already fresh in their mind.

ATS online learning Supports your department/organization’s training goals

• Improved training costs – Producing learning content is time consuming whether it’s online or not. With ATS Online learning, our course content is based on national standards and designed to follow training manuals by IFSTA/FPP and Brady/Pearson Publishing. With ATS Online, each time a course is accessed your return on investment improves because you are not limited by a classroom environment which means savings through decreased travel, reduced materials and improved (and more efficient) performance.

• Increased productivity - Since ATS online is not bound by geography or time you can have control over when you want your students to take courses…during down time at the station or on their own at home . In addition, with the state of the current economy, we are continually being asked to do more with less. So ATS online is a great way to give students the tools and skills necessary to enhance their performance.

• Standardization - Although you are an excellent training officer/course facilitator, there is no guarantee that the course material will be presented the same across all sessions. ATS online allows you to create a process where learning is standardized across sessions. With ATS online there will be consistency in delivery and content.

ATS online supports learner development

• Improved retention - The combination of our high quality media and instructional design produces a very rich learning experience. With our interactive courses, quizzes and tests are available to help your learners retain the course content and better prepare them for hands on training and real world scenarios.

• Real-time access - Live learning doesn’t allow for much flexibility. ATS online eliminates this because courses can be accessed anywhere, anytime on any computer or mobile device such as an ipad or smartphone.

• Personalized Learning - ATS online allows you the freedom to customize your emergency response training to meet your goals for the day, week or year. You can purchase access to specific courses for a select number of learners based on your personal department/organizational need. This allow you control that you would not have in a classroom learning environment.

• Ongoing access to courses/resources - If you take a class in the real world and need a refresher, you better hope that you took good notes. Otherwise, you’re out of luck. That’s not the case with ATS online. Ideally, you continue to have access to the online content and resources to brush up on what you learned and have the opportunity to share information as well.

A few questions to ask yourself: What are your goals for your emergency response training? What type of training are you currently using? Are you completely satisfied with your current fire training or EMS training program? Is it efficient, without sacficing the quality of content and learner comprehension?