The DOD Firefighter - Essay Example

Running head: Certified Fighter Fire-fighters - DOD and Civilian Certified Full [Insert information here] Fire-fighters - DOD and Civilian Certified Fire fighting is a hazardous employment, to be successful at this job a person needs to be up to date in the theoretical aspects as well as skilled through training on-the-job continuously over long periods to attain levels where they can successfully handle fires as team leaders. Fires occur accidentally or due to natural phenomenon and can come in a range of severity and may require different skill sets in different circumstances. Fires and other emergencies take a toll of thousands of lives and destroy property worth billions of dollars every year (Education-Portal). Fire fighters help protect against these dangers by being the first emergency personnel at the scene of a fire, traffic accident, hazardous material spills, medical emergency and other emergency incidents. They also provide leadership and support services for natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods (CDF). For a person to join and make a career in this work there are two avenues available, one through the Department of Defense (DOD) and the second through the civilian colleges that offer specialized courses in fire fighting. This paper explores the features of the two alternatives to compare and analyze the differences. The DOD Firefighter Any person joining the defense services may opt to be a member of the firefighting arm of the army, navy, air force or the Marine Corps. According to the Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program (1995), the purpose of providing training in firefighting is to enhance the training process, improve performance, and strengthen the professionalism of all the Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services personnel. The program measures the competence of the Department of Defense (DOD) Fire and Emergency Services personnel and provides a quality control element for the training process. These measurements and quality control elements will be accomplished through the administration of standardized written and performance evaluations established in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) national consensus of professional qualifications standards. This program meets the NFPA Professional Qualifications Standards outlined in the 1000 series standards. To be eligible to this training, the following conditions must be met: 1. Military and civilian Department of Defense (DOD) Fire and Emergency Services personnel, including civilian contractors, who have successfully passed the written and performance evaluations are eligible for certification 2. Eligibility for an individual to be administered the written and performance evaluations are based upon completion of a study program. The study program can consist of formal classroom instruction, formal schools, self-study, or a combination of these programs 3. The study program will not be used to render invalid any rank, qualification, certification, or appointment acquired before the implementation of this program 4. Training should be delivered in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible, including the increased use of distant learning technologies (Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program, 1995). According to the Department of Defense (DOD) Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program (1995), a person who enrolled at the Department of Defense Firefighter College Program will receive the certificate of completion in four months time. This is the highest level of fire service certification. Up until June, 1998, participation in the Certification Program was a "condition of employment" per DODI 6055.6 (DOD Fire and Emergency Services Program, 1994). As such, a fire fighter only had to be working toward certification to be "participating" and, as a "condition of employment", the program was fully negotiable at the local level (The Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program, 1995). Then, on June 2, 1998, Change 1 was issued which, among other things, made the Certification Program a "qualification for employment." As a "qualification for employment", a fire fighter is required to have all the certifications for his possession or he is not considered qualified in the same manner as if he failed to meet medical standards, and consequently, he could be removed. In addition, any firefighter desiring to be promoted is not eligible unless he has all of the certifications for the next higher level or for the position to which he wanted to be promoted (Roth, 2001). The Civilian Firefighter Civilian firefighters work in a variety of settings, including urban and suburban areas, airports, chemical plants, other industrial sites, and rural areas like grasslands and forests. In addition, some fire fighters work in hazardous materials and oil spills and are trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup of materials (Wakefield, 2006). Applicants for municipal fire fighting jobs generally must pass a written exam; tests of strength, physical stamina, coordination, and agility; and a medical examination that includes drug screening. Some fire departments now require a degree, which are awarded by a number of universities offering courses in fire fighting. As a rule, entry-level workers in large fire departments are trained for several weeks at the department's training center or academy. Through classroom instruction and practical training, the recruits study fire fighting techniques, fire prevention, hazardous materials control, local building codes, and emergency medical procedures. After successfully completing this training, the recruits are assigned to a fire company, where they undergo a period of probation. Upon joining a fire fighter serves a three to four year apprenticeship followed by an exam and only then they become confirmed as Fire Fighter - II. They must serve another three years full-time at this level to become eligible to appear for the Fire Captain examination. The line of promotion usually is to engineer, lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief, and, finally, chief. It takes a minimum of 13 years and several exams for a person to become fire chief of a municipality. In addition to participating in advanced training programs conducted by local fire departments, some firefighters attend training sessions sponsored by the U.S. National Fire Academy. Many civilian firefighting services now require a firefighter to obtain additional qualifications such as fire prevention, criminal procedures and similar graduate level courses. The above summary clearly shows the level of expertise that civilian firefighters attain through theoretical studies and experience in a host of different situations. The Issues The problem now devolves to understanding the differentiation between the DOD firefighters and civilian firefighters. One of the first issues is that at the time of recruitment by government contractors such as DynCorp, KBR-Halliburton, ITT, and Raytheon they specify that in order to be eligible a candidate must have DOD certification and experience also preferably with defense establishments (Job Announcement, 2002). Whereas an ex-military firefighter may have put in an average of four years time on the job to attain DOD certification, they may not have any actual firefighting experience (the Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program, 1995). How can such a person be considered better suited for a firefighting job with the contractor as compared to a civilian firefighter who has not only the theoretical knowledge but has the experience in handling all kinds of fires and emergencies detailed above Both have put in the same time in service but the latter has far better skills and experience, yet gets discriminated against. The second issue is the promotion and career prospects of DOD firefighters and civilian fire fighters. It takes a civilian fire fighter at least 13 years to reach the level of fire chief with several exams at every stage and requirements of additional courses and qualifications. As compared to this, DOD personnel, once they have the DOD certification are considered qualified for life whether they have any practical experience or not and continue to get promotions on a fixed time scale. The civilian firefighters must perform a specified number of hours of training every year, if these required hours are not met, these firefighters risk losing their certification. The DOD firefighter's certification has no minimum annual training requirements (the Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program, 1995). Once the Department of Defense certification is received, it is good for life regardless if it is uses or not (DOD Fire and Emergency Services Program, 1994). This, once again, rankles of discrimination on the job and unequal and unfair treatment to civilian firefighters. Another situation that needs careful review is the mushrooming of colleges and institutes that offer professional courses in firefighting. A number of these are in the business only for the money they earn from providing short and attractive (for them) courses that are of little value in actual firefighting situations. They, however, do help prospective firefighters in being able to prepare for the entrance level exams in civilian firefighting organizations (PSC, 2004). Conclusions The discussions lead us to conclude that the Government must look at these issues in all seriousness and make rules that seek to stop discrimination against civilian firefighters when it comes to recruitment by firefighting contractors and prevail upon them to stop such discrimination. In addition the system evolved by civilian authorities for testing, appraisal and promotion of firefighting personnel has been developed through experience and is found very effective. The DOD must look at these carefully and modify its own policies to ensure that they have a devoted and specialized service that is expert in firefighting in order to protect their installations and assets. Levels of competence and standards have to be evolved for colleges offering training in firefighting so that persons enrolling in these courses are assured of a universal minimum standard of education in keeping with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) certification requirements or criteria but the government ignores them. References CDF, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection home page accessed on August 20, 2006 from their website: http://www.fire.ca.gov/php/careers_fireprotection.php Department of Defense Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program, December 1995 Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/ES-Programs/Safety/Documents/Firechiefs/6055_6M.html DoD Instruction 6055.6, "DoD Fire and Emergency Services Program, December 15, 1994 Education- Portal; accessed on August 20, 2006 from the website: http://education-portal.com/fire_fighting_courses.html Firefighters Job Announcement 2002 News Archives; DOD Fire News, December 2, 2002. PSC: Make Your Career Sizzle with PSC'S Firefighter II Certificate Program. Prairie State College - News and Events Archive, August 11, 2004. Roth, Mark D. 2001 AFGE General Counsel Opinion. American Federation of Government Employees Federal Fire Fighters Steering Committee Wakefield Fire Department Run Totals, 2006 - Wakefield FD 2002 Annual Report; Annual Report of the Wakefield Fire Department for Calendar Year 2003 Read More