Question for the Training Officers/Academy Instructors.

[CALFFBOU]

Training Officers and Academy Instructors- Just a quick question- After a structured fire academy (5 to 17 weeks), do you get together with other staff members for a review of what worked, didn work corrections for future academies?

Thanks, Bou

[Dickey]

We have in the past. Discuss everything. What worked good, what sucked, what needs to be adjusted. Gotta talk about afterwards or you just keep making the same mistakes.

[CALFFBOU]

It know its a silly question. Right now I am trying to get a Chief to do this. (Who woulda thunk)

[Dickey]

Figures. Good luck with that!

[CaptainGonzo]

I am not an instructor at the Massachusetts Fire Academy, but I do work closely with them in support services. They do have instructor improvemenrt sessions and regularly review the recruit program to tune and tweak it.

[Bones42]

The Directors of the program get together and review it. There are usually no instructors (other than the Directors) present. There is a Director at every session of the class, observing the class and helping out when/if needed.

[ADSNWFLD]

You have to review what works and what doesn't. As an instructor for my department and for a few regional agencies I am still learning something at every class. Once the learning stops the program will start to fail and complacency will turn into cutting corners and accidents.

[BoxAlarm187]

Yes, after each academy, and then before the next one starts, we have review sessions. It's easy to find out what's working and what's not based on daily notes that each of the instructor makes during the 20 week recruit school.