The District requires all new firefighters with no previous firefighting experience to complete the Recruit Firefighter Training Program within their first year of appointment. Firefighters who have completed a state-recognized Firefighter I training course are required to complete the first three modules of the program.
Recruit Training
The Recruit Firefighting Training Program is instructed in 12 module sessions (over the course of 14 consecutive weeks) including live fire training exercises and a comprehensive final exam, consisting of 56 total in-person hours. The hazardous materials awareness training component and National Incident Management System courses (ICS-100 and ICS-700) are all required to be completed online outside of the in-person training sessions.
District Training
Training and Safety Division staff present a regular program of firefighter training to each station every month. Firefighters are required by District policy to attend 21 hours of District Training each year and a minimum of one per quarter. Some stations train together each month while other stations train by themselves. Each month’s training topic is developed by Training and Safety Division staff, including the preparation of an instructor training notes, the creation of an electronic presentation when appropriate for the training topic, and the development of a skills program that coordinates with the training topic.