The Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and Firehouse with the support of VFIS announce a partnership to offer Incident Safety Officer Academies across the country. Improving firefighter safety was the driving force that brought the FDSOA and Firehouse together to work to increase the number of trained, certified fire department incident safety officers.
The two-day ISO Academies will be based on Jones & Bartlett’s book, “Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 3rd Edition,” and provide the skills and knowledge for a fire department ISO. FDSOA instructors will provide the training, and at the conclusion of the academy, attendees will be eligible to take the test for ISO certification in accordance with the Pro Board.
“The role of the incident safety officer in firefighter safety cannot be overstated,” said Rich Marinucci, executive director of the FDSOA.“But this only applies if the ISO is properly trained to do their job while allowing firefighters to do theirs.”By working with Firehouse, a division of SouthComm Business Media, FDSOA plans to deliver the ISO Academy in Nashville (TN), Fort Lauderdale (FL), St. Louis (MO), South Metro (CO), Alexandria (VA) and several other locations throughout the year.
“We’re excited to partner with the FDSOA and assist them in promoting the message of firefighter health and safety throughout the country,” said Firehouse Editor-in-Chief Timothy Sendelbach. “Having a trained and qualified ISO is a key part to fireground safety and Firehouse is proud to support the FDSOA in training the men and women who will oversee the safety of those operating on the front lines.”
The FDSOA’s ISO certification program is part of its core mission to promote safety standards and practices in the fire, rescue and emergency services community. The program also supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s 16 Life Safety Initiatives, specifically #3 Focus on integration of risk management and #4 Empower firefighters to stop unsafe practices.
For further information on how to host an academy or to register for the Incident Safety Officer two-day academy, visit www.fdsoa.org.
