National Fire Academy Issues Higher Education Challenge
Imagine a future in which a successful fire department professional development program results in chief officers with bachelor’s degrees, firefighters with associate’s degrees, and a department-wide attitude of support for higher education. Through new and existing programs, the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy (NFA) has laid the foundation for the building of an educated fire service by the year 2000.
OPEN LEARNING FIRE SERVICE PROGRAM
The Open Learning Fire Service Program (OLFSP) is an upper-level external degree program sponsored by the NFA. OLFSP provides an alternative means for fire service personnel to earn a baccalaureate degree or pursue college-level learning in a fire-related course concentration without having to attend on-campus classes. The 12-course curriculum, designed to supplement each institution’s existing requirements for a baccalaureate degree, covers topics of interest to anyone in firefighting: fire administration, personnel management, incendiary analysis, fire prevention, fire protection systems, analytic approaches to public fire protection, firerelated human behavior, fire research, and others.
As with any college-level learning, OLFSP incorporates interaction with qualified instructors (usually by telephone) with written assignments, final exams, and lots of reading.
SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
The aim of OLFSP is to promote an environment in which department personnel who want to earn a degree have the support and encouragement of their fire chiefs. Toward this end, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (LAFC) membership passed a nonbinding resolution on higher education at its annual conference in Anaheim, California, in September 1992.
The resolution is an expression of the LAFC’s support for higher education in the fire service. We urge other fire and emergency service organizations to follow suit with similar resolutions.
ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS NETWORK
There are an estimated 200 active fire science associate degree programs throughout the United States. A significant problem for the fire service is that these two-year degree programs lack a unified, common goal and approach to promoting higher education for the fire service.
The NFA wants to build a national higher education network in cooperation with fire science programs and the Open Learning institutions. Our goal is to foster collaboration between lowerand upperlevel degree programs, which will result in a unified, coordinated system of fire service higher education.
As part of a pilot test sponsored by the NFA, Memphis State University and Western Illinois University have conducted meetings with associate degree program administrators within their respective. OLFSP regions. Their objective is to test whether active two-year fire science programs within a state can collaborate to the following ends.
NATI0NAL FIRE ACADEMY OPEN LEARNING NETWORK
The Open Learning Fire Service Program (OLFSP) is delivered by a network of seven accredited colleges and universities. Each institution serves an assigned geographical area and offers the courses through independent study in all 50 states.
Cogswell College Linda Fladger 10420 Bubb Road Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 252-5550 states served: AZ, CA, NV
University of Cincinnati Barbara Barkley College of Applied Science 2220 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45206 (513) 556-6583
states served: FL, GA, IN, MI, MN, ND, OH. SD, WI
Memphis State University Dr. Susanne Darnell University College Johnson Hall, G-l Memphis, TN 38152 (901) 678-2754
states served: AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, TN, SC
Western Oregon State College Cynthia Wilcox or Doris Beeks Division of Continuing Education Monmouth, OR 97361 (503) 838-8483
states served: AK, CO, HI, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA, WY
University of Maryland/University College
JoAnne Hildebrand Open Learning Program University Blvd. at Adelphi Rd. College Park, MD 20742 (301) 985-7722 or (800) 888-8682 states served: DE, MD, NJ, NC, DC, WY, VA
Western Illinois UniversityDr. Joyce Nielsen
Educational Broadcasting and Independent Study 305 Memorial Hall Macomb, IL 61455 Illinois: (800) 322-3902 or (309) 298-2182
states served: IL, LA, KS, MO, NE, NM, OK, TX
SUNY Empire State College Center for Distance Learning 2 Union Ave.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-2100 ext. 300 states served: CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, PA, RI, VT
- To create a unified higher education ,
- network that meets the needs of the fire service and the NFA’s goals for 2000. ‘
- To share resources and ideas for mutual benefit.
- To achieve the NFA’s goals in cooper-.;, ation with state fire service training and municipal fire and rescue departments.
HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCE MATERIALS
Under development is a facilitator’s guide called HigherEducation Workshop for the Fire Service. The workshop guide is a 90-minute module designed to increase . awareness about the benefits of a bachelor’s degree through OLFSP. The facilita-tor’s guide will contain group activities, lectures, and visuals for integration into fire service training programs. By incorpo,, rating this module into recruit schools, fire departments can foster the support and encouragement for higher education needed to make the vision a reality by the year 2000.
Many fire service personnel have earned their baccalaureate degrees and want to earn a master’s degree through,, nontraditional study. NFA has published the External and Extended Master’s Degree Guide for Fire and Emergency Service. It contains 15 accredited colleges’* and universities that offer graduate degrees in concentrations applicable to our audience, such as management, publicj policy, organizational development, and other broad-based areas. There are no specifically fire-related programs offered^ in the Guide.
The NFA would like to pose a challenge to the fire officers of the United States: Will you take a stand by promoting higher education within your fire department or agency in preparation for 2000? Will you urge firefighters and officers to get started” right now on their college education? Will you provide the support and encouragement your people need from you?
For more information about the OLFSP, contact the school serving your state (see box). For general program information or^ to order the Higher Education Workshop or the Master’s Degree Guide, you can write to the National Fire Academy; Extension Services Branch; 16825 South Seton ‘ Ave.; Emmitsburg, MD 21727.
