Keeping emergency responders safe, our communities protected and maintaining a well-run organization are all critical aspects for emergency services.
Training classes, seminars and workshops through VFIS are conducted on a regional basis throughout the year, with many offered at instructor and participant levels.
This program is a train-the-trainer program which is designed to teach the necessary instructional methodology in order to successfully deliver the Emergency Vehicle Driver Training Instructor (EVDT-I) or the EMS Vehicle Operation (EMSVO) program. Upon completion, an instructor kit will be provided.
The Traffic Incident Management (TIM) for Emergency Service Personnel program was developed by responders—for responders, with the objective that nationally; all organizations who respond to roadway incidents acquire a common set of core competencies that promote a shared understanding of the requirements for achieving the safety of responders and motorists, quick response, and effective communications at traffic incident scenes. VFIS has partnered with the Federal Highway Administration in making our program a SHRP2 equivalent program. A VFIS/SHRP2 certificate will be issued upon completion of this program. The target audience for this class includes a mix of Fire, Law Enforcement, Fire Police, EMS, Dispatchers, Road Department, Towing, and Traffic Management Professionals.
As a result of many emergency service operational changes, equipment that was never considered is now being moved with increasing frequency. Often this equipment is needed, but cannot be carried on traditional vehicles. To meet these demands, emergency services organizations are purchasing trailers to transport equipment. Trailers can solve these organizational issues, yet many departments lack the expertise or training to hook up and move a trailer. This program was developed to teach the emergency vehicle operator the proper techniques and procedures for towing a trailer.
Every day we are called to scenes involving patient movement from simply putting a patient back in bed, to some of the most complex calls which challenge even the most experienced EMS provider. We have a variety of patient-moving devices available to transfer patients from point A to point B, safely. Why do we continue to drop patients? This program is intended to make patient care providers more aware of the issues surrounding patient transfer and preventing patients from being dropped.
No additional EVDT Instructor-Level Update programs are scheduled at this time. Please register for an EVDT-I program to receive the updated curriculum.
Recertification has been recognized as an integral part of an emergency vehicle driver training program. This is a reinforcement and re-certification program. The program is specifically for currently qualified drivers of emergency vehicles. It focuses on those aspects of emergency response that must remain foremost in the driver’s consciousness on every run. A complement to any existing driver training program, it fills the gap between candidates qualifying as drivers and the maintenance of the proficiency achieved as a result of such programs.
The purpose of this seminar is to assist emergency service organizations in developing and placing into practice, standard-operating guidelines. A number of areas where SOPs/SOGs should be considered are presented. The class instruction and discussion will allow the participants to apply the principles of developing standard operating guidelines by actually writing one or more in draft form. Working in breakout groups, participants will get to share ideas and experiences from other emergency service organizations. Often, participants arrive with a particular area of concern and find that others also share this concern in the workshop. The breakout group sessions provide an excellent opportunity to get a handle on addressing particular areas of concern.
You can't run the volunteer/combination fire or EMS organization the way you used to! Today's emergency service organization (ESO) is simply not an "emergency response agency". Your ESO is a quasi-business requiring a number of management practices needed by all volunteer organizations, particularly regarding finance, personnel issues and planning in order to function and survive. Each ESO has a number of leadership positions to divide the work load and provide for more focus in those positions. In essence, ESOs have changed from their original mission of response to an emergency to one of identifying potential problems, planning to deal with risks, educating the public, preparing the community in the event of an emergency, and responding to manage the problem that exists. This program will provide insights into the best practices in managing your modern day ESO. The target audiences for this program are those members that currently occupy management level positions in an ESO or those who may desire to one day become part of the management function within an ESO.
Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV) and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) have gained wider acceptance and use in both the fire service and EMS. These vehicles can help responders take quick action with less physical exhaustion of department members. These vehicles not only help emergency responders that use them, but also benefit the people served by the emergency service organization. Adding UTVs and ATVs to an ESO fleet can provide great benefits but might also present safety issues if the vehicles have not been properly trained in the operation and maintenance. This safety program was developed to provide refresher training for ESOs that use these types of specialty vehicles.
This program is designed to assist volunteer and combination emergency service organizations in improving their overall performance. Whether called “transformation,” “performance management,” or “strategic planning,” the development of a strategic focus is the core to long term success. Based on the VFIS text “Transforming the Volunteer Fire Service” and the VFIS “Volunteer Fire Service Strategic Focus Model,” a road map to planning and decision-making for your organization is the end result. This workshop is the core product to understand what change is needed and how to implement that change.
This session is designed for Instructors to teach and openly discuss the importance of proper documentation of all patient care contacts. In reflection, actual patient care scenarios will be used to highlight the results of poor patient care documentation. The role of the Quality Assurance Manager is essential if the system is to mature into a sophisticated patient care delivery system. Professional malpractice, management liability, patient refusals or care and/or transportation, dispatch errors, and failure to respond are all issues covered under your instructorship.
This awareness session addresses the many areas of exposure that fire service personnel, providers of pre-hospital care and patient transportation face in their day-to-day operation. Subjects discussed include professional liability, fire suppression and rescue, report documentation, incident reports, and adherence to standing operations. Actual case scenarios will be used to highlight the importance of the topics discussed. The participant will acquire a deeper appreciation of the need to provide care according to their protocols or standing orders, scope of practice, and the present standard of care expected in their part of the world.
Refresher training is a key element in an emergency service organization’s comprehensive emergency vehicle driver training program. This seminar is designed to identify the risks associated with an emergency response and share best practices for safe emergency vehicle operations.
This is a 3 hour seminar on current issues involving emergency service organization consolidations and strategic planning. These two management practices are becoming expectations of the fire and EMS system. Learn practical techniques and tools to use to understand and apply the principles and practices of Strategic Planning and Consolidation from the expert who has worked with over 200 agencies on these issues.
Abstract: “ Hypochondriac, basket case, frequent flyer, and taxi run.” These words depict vivid images in our minds, but have we forgotten why we entered emergency services. Are we in this profession for the right reasons and are we doing the best job possible. Today, providers are entering the profession ill-prepared to face the “realities” of emergency services; the opinions and stereotypes that can occur. Join us for an enlightening look at ethical issues from a different perspective, that of the patient!
One of the best tools that we have to enable the prevention of injuries and deaths is the investigation of all accidents that occur involving an Emergency Service Organization (ESO), regardless of whether a death, injury or serious property damage was the result. It is in the investigation, and specifically in the information gathered during incident investigations, where we may find the solutions to many of the problems that create needless losses.
This course has been developed by members of the emergency services to assist ESOs in developing and incident investigation program and to provide resources to assist in investigating internal incidents. The course is not limited to the investigation of vehicular incidents, although they constitute a large portion of the incidents experienced by the emergency service community.
Intersections are the locations responsible for the largest percentage of major incidents involving emergency vehicles. Even with the use of warning devices, intersections pose a serious threat to the safety of both emergency service personnel as well as the general public. This program will provide the student with the knowledge of intersection safety using; best practices, case studies, organization’s SOGs, state statutes and applicable standards.
Emergency vehicle rollovers are an all too frequent cause of vehicle damage, serious injury and fatalities. Very often, however, these incidents are of a highly preventable nature. All emergency vehicles are subject to rollovers, but tankers, pumper tankers and ambulances are particularly vulnerable because of their high center of gravity. This program will provide the student with the knowledge necessary to prevent rollover incidents using; laws of physics, best practices, case studies, organization’s SOGs, state statutes and applicable standards.
Almost weekly we hear or read about an emergency service organization that has experienced a theft of funds, misappropriation of funds, or some similar “fidelity” related loss. These situations create not only a financial challenge for the organization, but present a negative image in the community. This class has been developed to raise awareness and discuss steps that an ESO can take to help protect themselves. This class reviews case studies and provides 10 practices for financial system management and sample policies.
Today's Emergency Medical Service Leader is faced with many administrative responsibilities. Much of this work involves reducing overhead costs, preventing injuries and protecting the people who do the job. This course was developed to help the emergency serviced manager understand the principles of loss control programs. This risk management program introduces a systematic method that helps the user investigate and identify problem areas and provides for the ability to implement a loss control program based on the loss control principles that will reduce unnecessary damage, injury and overhead costs.
Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV), All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV), and Trailers have gained wider acceptance and use in both the fire service and EMS. Often equipment is needed, but cannot be accessed by or carried on traditional vehicles. To meet these demands, emergency services organizations are purchasing specialty vehicles and trailers to transport equipment. These pieces of equipment can solve these organizational issues, yet many departments lack the expertise or training for safe operation. This offering is a combination of two instructor-level programs developed to teach the emergency vehicle operator the proper techniques and procedures for operating these specialty vehicles and trailers safely.
Emergency service demands and operations are constantly changing. These changing demands and operations require public safety professionals to change as people, equipment, operations and expectations change. The first step in the change-management process is to understand and modify organizational culture to meet those new expectations.
Appropriate for all emergency response personnel, this training aims to increase the level of awareness of the hazards faced by fire and EMS personnel. Chief Officers and Administrators will learn the types of hazards faced by personnel for the development of appropriate risk management strategies. Company officers will receive insight into the importance of accountability, beyond tracking people on a scene, and fire and EMS personnel will benefit by understanding their personal responsibility to safety.
The intent of this class is to initiate a foundation for a long-term program by exploring challenges and potential solutions. The class will feature a variety of strategies in order to help you to implement a successful recruitment and retention programs in your community.
This seminar serves as an introduction to cancer’s impact on emergency responder. It is important to understand the information and resources available to assist you and your organization to understanding, prevent and manage the risk of firefighter cancer.
The program is designed for field supervisory personnel and training officers. Risk Control for Mid-Level Managers reintroduces the student to risk control with emphasis on identifying, managing and controlling risk as well as potential risk pitfalls associated with Emergency Service Organizations. The program is instructor driven and interactive through group discussion. The program concludes with review of case studies covering various risks including vehicle operations, medical malpractice, general liability from a facilities perspective and employment practices liability.
The overall goal of the program is to provide an understanding of how each individual position within an organization plays an integral and vitally important role in overall risk reduction. Risk reduction will aid in the creation and sustainability of a safety culture within your organization. Additional topics include written policies, rules and regulations, as well as equal and equitable enforcement. This program is applicable to career, volunteer or combination departments both fire and EMS.
General information for training classes:
Spaces are only reserved with pre-payment in full. Online payment is through PayPal (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or a PayPal account), off-line payment options include Check, VISA, MasterCard or Discover. Authorized purchase orders are accepted; however, payment must be received within 30 days of registration. All payments must be received prior to the beginning of the course. If you prefer to register via fax or mail, download our class registration form. Fax the completed registration form to 717.747.7028 or mail to; VFIS Education and Training Services, P.O BOX 2726, York, PA 17405.
Cancellation/rescheduling fee is 10% of registration fee per person. Course fees are non-refundable with less than 14 days' notice prior to the class. Attendee substitutions are acceptable.
To learn more about the classes we offer, see our class descriptions page. To search for upcoming classes, use our Class Search and Current Class Schedule tools, where you can find and register for classes (see the Register Now button). These tools let you add upcoming training classes to your electronic calendar, and add favorite classes to your wish list (you must register to use some of these features).
Call 800.233.1957 and ask for VFIS Education and Training Services.