Training and continuing education is one of the fundamental pillars of workforce development. For members, it provides skills and knowledge needed to do their jobs safely and effectively, whether it be serving their community or protecting themselves from workplace hazards. For leadership, it provides tools to guide the department toward its ideal goals, which can include safer and healthier workers and enhanced community service.

Workplace Violence Prevention for First Responders

The Workplace Violence Prevention for First Responders online course introduces first responders to the concepts of WPV and provides an overview of the status of prevention policy. It also discusses self size-ups and scene size-ups, as well as how to serve patients with cultural humility. Mitigation strategies, such as de-escalation, are covered for scenarios where prevention is not an option. The course concludes with steps to take after a violent encounter, such as reporting and seeking help. An optional module for leadership includes information about the SAVER Model Policies, an off-the-shelf policy solution for enhancing existing SOPs and SOGs with an emphasis on violence prevention and EMS provider support. Through engaging with this course, members learn valuable skills to mitigate violence and keep themselves safe on the job. Leadership walks away with a policy tool in their arsenal for improving rank-and-file safety.

After taking the online course, first responders can engage in the Practical Strategies for Safety course. It provides real-world strategies EMS providers can use while on a call to help lessen the possibility of workplace violence. The course consists of video demonstrations, practice scenarios, and interactive activities that review approaching and interacting with others in various scenarios. By engaging with both the online and practical courses, first responders can learn how to mitigate or escape violent scenarios and how to defend themselves safely and effectively when calls go south.

FOCUS Culture Camp

After a department completes the Fire service Organizational Culture of Safety (FOCUS) survey, they can participate in the Online FOCUS Culture Camp. This two-day, labor-management training educates fire service members on the relevance of safety culture and the utility of their department's FOCUS results. FOCUS Culture Camps include a diverse mix of fire departments in each Camp—geographically, large and small, career and volunteer. To ensure a rich learning experience for all, Camps include a maximum of 20 participants each. They are facilitated by a fire service member, FIRST Center staff, and affiliate faculty from the field of industrial and organizational psychology who are poised to offer concrete implementations to address safety culture problems. Camps are hosted in a hybrid online format, with asynchronous knowledge-based coursework followed by a two-day virtual Live Session where leaders can put what they have learned into practice. Through participating in Culture Camp, department leaders and unions can develop skills in leading with data to advocate for gear, staffing, apparatus, and behavioral health resources for their department.

CAMP-FIRE

As part of FIRST's organizational culture of inclusion work, online and in-person trainings known as CAMP-FIRE are available to support fire-based EMS in providing culturally aware, safe, and affirming care interactions for both patients and themselves. CAMP-FIRE is based on the CAMPERS Framework for working with LGBTQ+ patients and has been adapted specifically for the fire and rescue service. Through this training, first responders can enhance their capacity to adequately serve their local communities.