NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY

Advanced Training

for the

Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO)

25 students maximum per course
You do not need to sign up for the entire course. You can select any section.

Tuition Per Student    

Program Information

• Course and Registration Information
• NFA Application for the ATCFO course
• Link to ATCFO Course Dates
  
• Link to download this in MS Word format
• Link to Instructor Information
• Maple Grove Fire Station #2 Maps   City Map      
  Address is 13450 Maple Knoll Way
  
• Maple Grove, MN
  763-494-6300

Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO)

program is provide by the National Fire Academy (NFA) COTC Curriculum

• Why should I take this course?
• Who is the target audience?
• How is the curriculum organized?
• Selection Criteria?
• How to Apply?
• Where Do I send the application package?
• Is there Program Support?
• When and where are the classes held?
  

 The National Fire Academy (NFA) in partnership with the Fire/EMS/Safety Center and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is offering a new, Chief Officer Training Course developed by the National Fire Academy (NFA). In Minnesota, we will deliver this new program as a 10 credit Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer program, which is 160 hours in duration and delivered in blocks as demand dictates.
 

Why should I take this course?

 The U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) National Fire Academy (NFA) has developed this new curriculum for newly promoted chief officers in both career and volunteer departments. This 160-hour curriculum follows the recommendations of a panel of experts from across the country convened at the National Fire Academy to validate the need for this curriculum. The Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) agreed that the target audience, newly promoted chief officers and battalion chiefs, represented a small but critically important segment of the fire and emergency services population. The committee further agreed that adequate training programs did not exist on the local or national level. Participants of the CAC reached consensus on a curriculum addressing 24 content areas and comprising 4 weeks or 160 hours of training.

 The Report submitted to the NFA in spring of 2000 recommended the following curriculum breakdown: Leadership (32 hours), Human Resource Development (32 hours), Community Risk Reduction (16 hours) and Operations (80 hours).

 The goal of the Leadership class is to provide an educational experience that helps students recognize what effective leadership is, understand the differences between leadership styles, and develop the skills required to select the most appropriate style for them and the situation.

 Human Resource Development was identified as one of the training programs needed. The overall goal of this course is to provide a foundation of skills, knowledge, and tools for the newly promoted chief officer to effectively manage and develop the human resources in his or her command.

 The goal of this 16-hour Community Risk Reduction course is to prepare newly promoted chief officers to manage risk reduction responsibilities at their organizational level, in concert with the overall risk reduction missions of their departments.

 The goal of the 80-hour Operations course is to provide an educational experience that will help the newly promoted chief officer or Battalion Chief (BC) to perform competently at an emergency incident. Although emergencies have been reduced at varying rates, they are still the most resource intensive and dangerous component of the emergency services today.

 Who is the target audience?

 The target audience is composed of those officers who have recently moved from being in charge of a responding section within a station or department (possibly over multiple shifts) to being responsible for commanding a variety of units from multiple stations or departments. In their new roles, the newly promoted chief officer would be responsible for strategic decision-making at incidents, leaving the tactical decision-making to lower-level officers. In career departments, this newly appointed chief officer might often be at the battalion chief level. In a volunteer or combination volunteer and career department, the newly appointed chief officer could typically be referred to as a battalion chief, but may have another rank such as captain or lieutenant, senior firefighter aspiring to become a chief officer.

 How is the curriculum organized?

 The Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO) curriculum includes four distinct courses of instruction: Leadership, Human Resource Development, Community Risk Reduction, and Operations for a newly promoted chief officer. The total number of contact hours is 160. Upon completion of the ENTIRE program (160 Hours), students are eligible for a NFA Training along with a 10 credit Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

 The module breakdown is as follows:

   FIRE 1550: Leadership for the Chief Officer, 2 credits 32 hours

   FIRE 1552: Human Resource Development, 2 credits 32 hours

   FIRE 1554: Community Risk Reduction, 1 credit 16 hours

   FIRE 1556: Operations for the Chief Officer, 5 credits 80 hours

Selection Criteria

The Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO) target audience is current and emerging executive-level leaders in fire and emergency services organizations. The selection criteria are as follows:

Service Requirement

• Chiefs of department or equivalent.
• All other chief officers.
• Chief officers or equivalent who head major bureaus or divisions within a fire department, e.g., suppression, prevention, training, emergency medical services, etc.
• Chief officers and senior deputies of State governmental fire organizations, e.g., State Fire Marshals and Staff and State Directors of Fire Training and Staff.
• Senior Firefighter
• Other individuals who are serving in "key leadership" positions. Please refer to "Key Leaders" selection criteria below.

"Key Leaders" Selection Criteria

The Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO) is an executive education program with a limited capacity of participants each year. The primary audience is executive-level chief officers; however, a limited number of non executive-level applicants, such as senior firefighters and other officers who are serving in "key leadership" positions will be considered for the Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO) program. Once the minimum requirements have been demonstrated, candidates will be selected on the following criteria:

NOTE: It is not required that a candidate possess all of the following. However, the more achievements and criteria presented, the stronger a candidate's application will be considered.

• Strength of the department chief's or sponsor's recommendation, commitment to supporting the applicant's participation and description of the applicant's potential impact on the organization.
• Personal accomplishments and significant contributions to the fire and emergency services and/or the community.
• Potential for future impact on the fire service.

It is expected that the number of applications for these limited number of positions will be very competitive in nature. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to carefully review all of aforementioned and following selection/application elements.

How to Apply

NOTE: Qualified candidates may submit an application at any time during the year. Applications will be reviewed on an individual basis and will require the following separate items:

1. A General NFA Admission Application form 75-5. In Block #9A, please specify "Chief Officer Training Curriculum Program."
2. A letter from the applicant requesting admission to the Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO) program. The letter should specify applicant's qualifications (see eligibility section); commitment to complete the entire program, including any applied research; and the applicant's perceived expectation(s) of the program.
3. The applicant's résumé.
4. A letter of recommendation from the applicant's immediate supervisor (Chief of Department, Mayor, City Manager, etc.), indicating the organization's commitment to allow the applicant to complete the required courses and research.
5. An organizational chart that depicts the applicant's position.

The application package must be sent to:

Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO) candidates who have complied with the minimum prerequisites will be evaluated in assessing each applicant's qualifications for Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer acceptance. Final selection is competitive due to the limited number of available slots. Each applicant will be notified in writing as to either acceptance or non-acceptance into the ATCFO program. Qualified women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

Continuing Eligibility

Because of the intense competition for admission to the ATCFO program, the Fire/EMS/Safety Center has very stringent requirements for continuing eligibility. Reduction of a participant's rank or responsibility, either voluntarily or involuntarily, may result in removal from the ATCFO program. Changes in a participant's employment status during the program may alter eligibility to continue in the program. Any such change must be brought to the attention of the Fire/EMS/Safety Center ATCFO program manager immediately in order to determine continuing eligibility. Participants are required to notify the Fire/EMS/Safety Center Manager in writing immediately if they cannot attend a scheduled course; otherwise, they will be removed from the ATCFO program.

NOTE: Future participation in ATCFO program courses is contingent upon the successful completion of the required course work.

Conditional Acceptance

Individuals who have completed the ATCFO program courses in a non-Training status later may elect to apply for the Training credits. Those interested in this must follow the application process stated earlier. If the applicant is accepted, consideration will be extended toward any ATCFO program course(s) already completed. If the course(s) completed is accepted as a valid equivalency, the individual will be provided a period of time to complete the course work for the course(s) completed. The course work must be completed before the applicant participates in the next scheduled ATCFO program.

Annual Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer Graduate Recognition

Each fall at the Minnesota State Fire Chief’s Annual Conference, Fire/EMS/Safety Center will recognize the ATCFO program graduate students.

Educational Cohort

An educational cohort is designed to allow a group of students to work together toward their degree or academic objective.  This group often starts and ends their program together.  For students who live or work a distance from the college, cohort programs are often established at off-campus locations.  This enables busy, working adults to further their education in spite of other demands on their time.  Experience has shown that students who participate in a cohort group, often succeed where individual students do not.

Program Support

In order to better serve our customers, the Fire Fire/EMS/Safety Center has a Program Support service. This service is available by contacting ATCFO program Manager Warren Jorgenson and Manager Bruce Roed, remembering that normal work hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Standard Time (CST), Monday through Friday.

As an example, the email/voice mail may be used to leave messages concerning:

• Course work
• ATCFO program status questions
• graduate Trainings
• ATCFO program graduate information

We ask that you provide your name, a phone number where you can be reached, and a brief explanation of your need. This will aid the ATCFO program staff in returning email and phone calls by having all pertinent information available.

Your calls are important to us, and will be returned in the order in which they are received. Please note the following numbers in your phone directory:

Warren Jorgenson (320) 894-5071 cell, or (320) 231-5454 voice/fax

wrjorgen@tds.net or warren.jorgenson@so.mnscu.edu

Bruce Roed (218) 686-7233 cell, or (218) 637-2120 voice/fax

broed@gvtel.com or bruce.roed@so.mnscu.edu

Advanced Training for the Chief Fire Officer (ATCFO)

Statewide Training Facilitator Staff

The following completed the NFA required Train-the-Trainer on Saturday, June 5, 2004

The function of a Facilitator is to assist in the instruction during the class if needed and act as liaison with the Fire/EMS/Safety Center ATCFO Program Manager and the hosting college. Some facilitators will meet the requirements as instructors and function in both capacities.

If you are interested in becoming a instructor for this program, please contact

Warren Jorgenson (320) 894-5071 cell, or (320) 231-5454 voice/fax

wrjorgen@tds.net or warren.jorgenson@so.mnscu.edu

Bruce Roed (218) 686-7233 cell, or (218) 637-2120 voice/fax

broed@gvtel.com or bruce.roed@so.mnscu.edu

Current Facilitator Instructors Trainers;