Core Training Requirements
Becoming a firefighter requires an extensive amount of training. It means coming prepared with a humble attitude, open mind, and willingness to perform difficult, unfamiliar tasks, under instruction. It also means the chance to make memories and friends to last a lifetime, and to develop habits that may save your life in years to come.
All Newton Abbott Fire Company, Inc firefighters are required to attain a certification level called Firefighter I. It is an extensive curriculum that covers a variety of subjects to include personal protective equipment, fire behavior, firefighting tools and appliances, various team functions, hazardous materials operations, communications, ventilation, searching, the use of ladders, and many other essential areas of knowledge. The course is administered by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, and may be attended in a variety of formats. These include a two-week “boot camp” conducted by the Erie County Fire Safety Division, which is an exciting opportunity for those able to fit in in their schedule. New members must be actively enrolled in a course by the completion of their probationary year, and complete it successfully.
Additionally, new members are required to complete ICS-100, Introduction to Incident Command System, and ICS-700, National Incident Management System (Introduction), available online, for free, here.
Active Members must attend twelve in-house fire and EMS trainings annually, including annual OSHA updates, air consumption and bailout drills, and “smokehouse” trainings which closely simulate live fire conditions. Other training topics include auto extrication, large-area search drills, RIT/FAST training (firefighter rescue), saws, and heavy rescue operations. We also maintain American Heart Association BLS/CPR for Healthcare Providers. All training is provided at no cost to members.
It’s worth noting that these are core training requirements for our members; much more training is available in a variety of disciplines, including advanced operations and instructional roles. Current courses available in Erie County can be found here. The New York State Academy of Fire Science’s training schedule can be found here.