By Lauren Sievert
Record-Journal
SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — The Fire Department is having success recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters with a training program that’s now in its second year.
The probationary firefighter program was developed in 2010 and implemented in 2011. Capt. Scott DiBattista, who is in charge of the training program, said it was developed in response to the national problem of declining numbers of volunteer firefighters. DiBattista said studies concluded that the decline is the result of a number of issues, including the economy, time constraints and increased training requirements.
“In the training program, the first three months introduces them to a variety of topics,” Di-Battista said, “such as an introduction to the department, rules and regulations, equipment and apparatus.”
Other topics include hazardous materials, blood-borne pathogens and department history. After the course, firefighters take a final exam and are evaluated. The graduates receive certificates from the National Incident Command System, a division of the Department of Homeland Security. The participants then go through training for “Firefighter I,” the basic level for a volunteer firefighter.
The next step is the State Fire Training School, in Wolcott, where participants receive 168 hours of training. After that course, they are certified by the Connecticut Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. They will also receive a second certification that involves hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction, DiBattista said.
Since January 2011, the program has produced 35 new volunteer on-call firefighters. The department has retained 31 of the 35. DiBattista said a class now under way is close to graduating, and another class will begin in July.
“For new people, we basically map out the first four years of training,” DiBattista said.
Fire Chief Harold Clark said the training program increases the sense of camaraderie among the volunteers. Clark also said it was a good way to let the volunteers know what they were getting into when they sign up.
“They have to show a performance level,” Clark said. “A lot of it is funded through the training budget.”
The program will result in benefits for the community, DiBattista said.
According to a 2013 report by the National Volunteer Fire Council, volunteers make up 69 percent of the nation’s firefighting force. In 1984, there were an estimated 897,750 volunteer firefighters nationally. In 2011, the estimate was 756,400.
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