Oklahoma City Battalion Chief Mike Walker wants to know your thoughts on Firefighter I and II.
According to the Essentials Manual 5th Edition, they define Fire Fighter 1 as, " a person who is minimally trained to function safely and effectively as a member of a firefighting team under direct supervision." They go on to explain, " A person meeting the requirements of Level 1 is by no means considered a "complete" firefighter. This is not accomplished until the objectives of both Levels 1 and 2 have been satisfied."
"Firefighter II may operate under general supervision and may be expected to lead a group of equally or lesser trained personnel through the performance of a specified task."
So that would mean a Firefighter 2 acts as an officer, or is it just me?
With that thought in mind, I would love to hear as to when firefighters in your area are allowed to test for Firefighter 2? In my neck of the woods, many do during a recruit academy or within a year of their initial training.
The Front Seat interviewed Chief Walker back in June of 2011.
You can read about it and listen to the interview here, courtesy of FirefighterNetcast.com
We encourage and support constructive dialogue and debate. View our comment policy.
Also on Backstep Firefighter …
- “Impact This” and Garden-Style Apartment Fires
Ric Jorge and Mike Walker on “The Front Seat” – December 7, 2011 - Mentoring – October 19, 2012
- California Helmet Cams:
Hayward and Contra Costa County – June 15, 2012 - Complacency – January 16, 2012
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
I am a certified firefighter 1 & 2 in both Michigan and Indiana. In both states you are able to acquire your firefighter 1 & 2 at the same time. It is just a matter of having the firefighter 2 info incorporated into your academy and then taking the test for both of them. There is no time gap or waiting period.
Thanks for responding Erik. Let me take it a little farther. Even though you passed the FF2 testing in your academy, did you feel as if you were compitent enough to lead a team of firefighters on an actual fireground?
When I joined my department last year, I heard some talk about a state or county legal requirement to complete FF I/II within three years of membership – theoretically, the goal is to standardize training levels among firefighters. I completed my I/II this past September, not quite one year into my membership.
To be honest, I can't say that I feel ready to lead other firefighters on the fireground. I know I lack sufficient burn experience to claim such authority and that my knowledgebase is academic rather than practical in nature. Could I get the job done, if given a specific assignment as lead firefighter? Certainly. Would it be as a result of gut feeling and academic knowledge (rather than practical application)? Without a doubt.
Honestly, I looked on the certification as similar to receiving one's first EMT-Basic credentials – one now has the framework to begin the field internship and the guidance to ask the correct questions ("Why?" instead of "How?"). Given sufficient fireground experience, I am certain that I would have no problems leading. Until that point, however, I expect my leadership skills to be slow in development, regardless of seminars or classes attended.
At my combo department FFII is not taught at the academy. The focus is on FFI, Wildland, and HazMat Ops. I really appreciated that fact after the academy was over I could simply focus on my newly learned skills. I still considered myself the FNG after at the department for 2 years so when I was approached to pursue my driver operator shortly after I refused. I have been asked multiple times to pursue it but feel I have enough on my plate to improve on.
I can see why the department wants all memeners to details able to drive (it’s a staffing /resource issue) but I have stuck by my guns on this. Focusing on my FFI skills has allowed me to really zero in on my weak points as a firefighter and not have the added pressure of learning more tasks and diluting my FFI preparation.
I actually feel as though my refusal to learn it all in the first year has allowed me to be better prepared and actually ready to take on my FFII studies.
In Vermont FFII is handled through the state academy. My experience has been that they structure the class for full-time members and discourage volunteers. That having been said, I and four members of my department attended the latest class. We found that the course offered nothing that we had not already been taught in FFI. No advanced fire theory, no advanced ICS, no leadership training, no advanced tactics. Every practical evolution taught is available in local regional fire schools. The schedule required that we attend every class without exception. Out of 25 students that started, only 2 received FFII certification.
Since the course offered nothing of value and the requirements were completely inflexible, after four classes every member of my department quit. Not because it was too difficult, but because we realized that FFII certification was not worth the effort. We would have gained nothing that would have helped our departments or ourselves.
We have not given up on trying to better ourselves. We still attend (and teach) at the regional fire schools and pursue our own education independently