Company name: International Fire Service Training Association
Signature Product: Essentials of Fire Fighting Manual
Website: https://www.ifsta.org/shop
Email: marketing@ifsta.org
1. What was the inspiration behind starting your company?
In 1933, Fred Heisler hosted a meeting of Oklahoma fire training officials in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to develop a curriculum for training firefighters within the state. Ultimately, the group decided to work together to develop these materials and designated Oklahoma A&M College to publish and distribute them.
2. Where did your company name originate from?
The group was originally named the Fire Service Training Association. The organization grew quickly, and its name changed to the International Fire Service Training Association when the first Canadian participants joined the organization in 1955.
3. What is your signature product and how does it work?
Our flagship manual, “Essentials of Fire Fighting,” has sold more than one million copies worldwide. Now in its seventh edition, Essentials meets all of the NFPA 1001, 2019 JPRs. Essentials 7 is the complete source for firefighter recruit and refresher training, covering Firefighter I and II job performance requirements. Additionally, we offer a complete line of E7 support products: Curriculum USB, Course Workbook, Exam Prep, Interactive Course, Skills Video Series, eBook, App and Audiobook.
4. What makes your company unique?
IFSTA training content is validated by firefighters, for firefighters. Current and former fire service professionals serve as subject matter experts on IFSTA validation committees and work alongside writers and the Fire Protection Publications (FPP) staff to produce technically-accurate and visually-appealing publications that meet its respective standard.
IFSTA works in partnership with FPP, an extension unit in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University. FPP is the world’s leading publisher of training materials for fire and emergency services.
5. What do your customers like best about you and your products?
IFSTA customers like the reliability and functionality of our products. They know they can trust IFSTA and FPP products to be up-to-date and relevant to trends in the fire service industry.
6. What is the most rewarding part of serving the first responder community?
A highly and properly trained fire department provides for a safer community. As an organization, we care about protecting our communities. By ensuring technically accurate materials and support products are produced, IFSTA-FPP is doing our part in bettering our communities for future generations.
7. Do you support any charitable organizations within public safety/community? Tell us more.
There is a long list of organizations we are proud to partner with, including the Congressional Fire Services Institute, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Vision 20/20, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the North America Fire Training Directors and more.
10. What’s next for your company? Any upcoming new projects or initiatives?
IFSTA continues to search for ways that customers can use the reliable content developed through the IFSTA validation process. We have a full schedule of book releases for the next few years, so keep up with us on social media to stay up to date on manual updates and new releases!