Experiences of Training of Working in the Fire Service - Research Proposal Example

TOPIC: EXPERIENCE OF TRAINING IN FIRE SERVICE (NAME) (COURSE NAME) (INSTITUTIONS NAME) 9th NOVEMBER 2008 Introduction The incidents of accidents caused by fire and other fire hazards create a great threat and a continuous danger to property and life of the citizens in different states of the world. Ruthless damages, irreversible losses and untold miseries are some of the effects brought about by fire mishaps. (Jenny, 2005), The ever-increasing number of units of chemical Industries, Oil, construction of new markets and speedy industrialization as well as Multi-storied buildings escalates day by day hazards. Industries that deal with chemicals make industrial fires and tragedies brought about by gas are real likelihood. In this view, useful and adequate protection not only from fire but also of property and life is quite fundamental and imperative need. The departments concerned with training and working in the Fire services takes pride in being well conventional organisations in the state and contribute most considerably in the control and deterrence of hazards brought by fire by imparting the much required skills in the fire fighters. It is quite imperative to realize that the role of the fire service training department is not only restricted to fostering the fire fighting skills but it goes along way into ensuring that modern skills are used in rescuing property and life as well as offering emergency and rescue relief to the victims of natural calamities and any other disaster that may occur such as collapse of buildings, bomb blasts, explosive accidents to mention but a few. (David, 2004) Thus such departments perform the twin task of training fire fighters as well as monitoring their performances during rescue and fire fighting operations. Being basically a service department, the prime concern of the fire fighting departments in different countries of the world is to play the sole function of rescuing property and life from destruction and damage. Recent world’s renowned catastrophes such as Katrina, Tsunami and recent collapse of school buildings in Haiti which sparked unnecessary fires are some of the devastating occurrences that call for the consideration of the fire service training departments in countries affected by such calamities. (Bogil, 2001) The role played by the Fire fighters in such conditions can not be overemphasized. The true competence and courage of the personnel that render yeoman service in the wake of such disasters call for more than messages of congratulations. Both the community and the media welcome the work performed by the Fire service training departments in the wake of grave dangers and emergencies in their relief and rescue operations. (Tommy, 2006), The excellent performance displayed by these departments is partly due to the planned training of colleagues or personnel in the fire services departments and partly due to expansion and modernization of the departments which enables them to systematically undertake their training with least difficulties. The topic attracts the attention of policy makers, agencies and other stake holders because of its basic importance as the prime Disaster Management Agency which must be sufficiently equipped with modern skills and strategies to be used in the unforeseen tasks of fire fighting which are aimed at rescuing life and property. In regard to this, the policy makers, agencies and other stakeholders strives to ensure that concrete measures are carried out to improve the department’s capabilities in handling simple as well as complex fire fighting operations. They do this through contributing significantly towards ensuring that updated equipments are procured and approved, enough personnel are employed and proper training is carried out in order to ensure that any effects brought about by unexpected disasters such as fire, earthquakes are minimised if not eliminated. (Lenny, 2005) The policy makers, agencies and stakeholders also centre on technical improvement and upgradation of the Fire service departments by ensuring that proper and suitable training is undertaken for the personnel in such departments so as to uphold their sight of the meaning of being in such departments. For example, the business community is one of the stakeholders in the fire service and a direct recipient of the services existing in such departments in protecting business premises from fire destruction. They therefore help in raising funds for purchase of the requisite equipments used during training sessions. (Siyad, 2007) Agencies such as Disaster Management Authorities which are set up by the government execute the duty of training rescue and search teams which are integrated into the Fire and Rescue departments with the main responsibility of preparing and planning on how to engage in major disasters. The Fire service personnel are educated on how to perform their duties more resourcefully in order to accomplish the desired objectives and goals. (Susan, 2004), This is done through taking them through a series of trainings phases. Phase one is meant to impart knowledge to the fire-fighters and it is the initial training for fire-fighters when they enter the fire service. The course is cross mapped to meet the occupational standards of the nation and it is broken into various sections such as basic skills, road traffic and breathing apparatus collision procedures as well as trauma care, protection of community from fire through community fire safety and finally scenario based training. (Peter, 2003). Phase two involves Fire Fighter Development which includes the application of knowledge in Integrated Personal Development Systems (IPDS). Phase three of training involves Competence Maintenance. The rest of this paper looks at the methods used in carrying out the above research where issues such as methods used to collect the required information, description of samples as well as problems encountered during the research and how they were overcome will be discussed. In addition, the paper will also involve presentation of the results as well as analysis of the results. Methodology In order to determine the methods of training Fire service colleagues the personnel department was comprehensively involved in the research where both the senior officers and the trainee officers in the Fire Service Departments were involved. The questionnaires with well planned questions were used to collect the necessary information. (Joyce, 2000). The use of questionnaires was seen as the best method in such busy environments because it is not intricate and it involves only answering already set questions. It was also fitting because it concerned samples far away where other methods of information collection would be rather expensive hence questionnaire method was suitable to use because the costs involved were negligible. The sampling procedure involved selecting a sample of 20 Fire service trainees from 4 Fire service departments including senior officers in those departments. Unsystematic sampling was used to choose the trainees who would be included into the sample. To steer clear of biasness while selecting the sample, paper method was used where numbers (1-10) were indicated and papers folded for the trainee officers to choose. Those who picked odd numbers automatically became eligible to be in the sample. Hence 5 trainee officers from every Fire service Departments were chosen. After scheming the questionnaires, they were dispatched to various departments where follow ups were done in concurrence with senior officers in those departments who ensured that the questionnaires were answered and mailed back to the research centre. However, it is essential to note that the senior officers were not to influence answers specified by the trainee officers as this would mean that the results of the research study would not mirror the truth about experiences of training of Fire service trainees. Ensuring that the questionnaires reached the intended audience was the major problem encountered but the problem was conquered through working together with the senior officers in the Fire Service training departments. The other problem was deficiency of sufficient resources to be used in communicating with participants in the sample to remind them of the necessity to fill the questionnaires. Making follow ups in some departments proved difficult since trainees were all in the field either training or performing minor rescue operations tasks to enhance their practical skills. However, to overcome the above problems my friends contributed considerably in ensuring that I had at my disposal enough funds to carry out the research. Appropriate timing particularly very early in the morning and in the evening proved the best time to reach the Fire service trainees before they went out for their training sessions. Questionnaire 1. Are there challenges faced by the Fire service trainees? Yes 20 No 0 2. Do you think the above challenges are life threatening or they are just normal challenges. Yes 20 No 0 3. Do you think there is any need to undertake all the three phases of training as a fire-fighter? Yes 20 No 0 4. Do you think that training as a fire fighter helps you face the above life threatening challenges when carrying out your tasks? Yes 18 No 2 5. Is training as a fire-fighter important in motivating the Fire and Rescue Service personnel? Yes 12 No 8 6. Do you agree to the claim that the three phases, that is, acquisition of knowledge, application of knowledge and maintenance of competence are adequate in empowering a fire-fighter to undertake fire fighting operations more effectively? Yes 18 No 2 7. Do you think that as a trainee the community perceive you as important to them? Yes 10 No10 8. Does the government participate accordingly in ensuring that the needed equipments for training are available so that you can acquire all the skills you need as a fire fighter? Yes 16 No 4 9. Would you desire to continue with this fire service training or would you desire to change your career and perform other tasks rather than being a Fire fighter? Yes 13 No 7 10. As a trainee do you think practical lessons are more important than theoretical lessons or is there any need to undertake both of them? Yes 10 No 10 Presentation of Results The use of tables in presenting the results was seen as the most successful way because tables are easy to understand and make. They are also lucid and explanation can be done effortlessly by looking at different columns and rows. Questions Results Reasons Yes No 1 Challenges in training 20 0 Yes. It involves practical skills on using equipments such as ladder, pumps, hose drills which require a lot of practice in order efforts. 2. Life threatening or normal challenges in training 20 0 Yes. It involves practical work and any mistakes such as improper handling of equipments during training may be dangerous. 3. Need to take all three training phases. 20 0 Yes. A trainee becomes confident that he/she is adequately equipped to save not only other people’s lives and property but to also ensure his/her safety. 4. Does training help face the above life threatening challenges. 18 2 Yes. It equips one with the needed skills that can be used in saving lives and property even in the worst fire disasters. No. Training is just a portion of what is needed. Adequate remuneration and proper equipments are other factors 5. Training and motivation 12 8 Yes. Once trained you become confident which encourages you to work. No. Training without proper equipments does not motivate one to work as a fire fighter. 6. Do the three faces of training empower you to become an effective fire fighter? 20 0 Yes. Acquiring knowledge and skills is vital in ensuring that a fire fighter will perform his/her task effectively. 7. Do communities appreciate you as a trainee? 10 10 Yes. Some believe that after finishing our training we shall become useful members to the society. No. Others feel that until we go to the field and put out fire we only consume resources for nothing. 8.Participation of the government 16 4 Yes. It provides necessary equipments to be used during training sessions in order to enhance our practical skills. No. some policies formed limits the funds sent to various training centres hampering proper training 9. Desire to continue with Fire Service training 13 7 Yes. It is my carrier of choice and it will give me satisfaction to save lives and property. No. It exposes one to dangerous situations which can affect the health or cause loss of lives. 10. Practical or theoretical preferences 10 10 Yes. Both are important because theory imparts knowledge while practical enhances the skills leaned. No. Practical is enough because fire fighting involves more practical work than theoretical work Analysis Analysis of the above results gives a clear picture of the magnitude of training to the Fire Service trainees. 20/20 trainee officers in the sample agreed that there are many challenges that they face during their training sessions especially because many of them are never acquitted with different equipments used during training sessions. The presence of challenges was indicated as resulting from the fact that most of those equipments require fast assembling in order to deal with fire of different magnitude. The size of fire alone is scary and methods taken to salvage people trapped in such fires is not only an uphill task but also a demanding task that requires careful manoeuvre of every skill learned during theoretical sessions. 20/20 of the trainees also indicated that the training sessions especially the practical part is life threatening because rising to greater heights using the ladders can be dangerous especially when the ladder has not been joined properly. In addition, the trainees indicated that the force with which water gushes out of the hose pipe required excessive force to handle and failure to do this would result into a trainee falling from great heights. As a result 20/20 trainees concurred that taking all the three training phases was important as they perfected their skills. However, 2/20 believed that proper remuneration and proper equipments supplements their abilities to handle the above life threatening challenges even after they undertake their training. About training and motivation 12/20 trainees felt that they would be more motivated to work as fire fighters after training because acquired skills would not only ensure that they are safe but would also ensure they perform their tasks effectively. However, other factors such as adequate equipments were cited by 8/20 of the trainees as also contributing significantly towards motivating fire fighters. Various perceptions of the communities towards fire service trainees were given. 10/20 of the trainees indicated that the communities perceive fire fighting as voluntary roles where fire fighters risk their lives for the sake of others hence some members of the communities approve of the role the trainees would play in the society. Nonetheless, 10/20 trainees indicated that their importance is only experienced by the society once they put out fire. 16/20 of the trainees in the sample agreed that the government played a key role in providing equipments used for training while 4/20 believed that lack of enough funds due to bad policies was the cause of shortage of training equipments in training centres. The three phases mentioned in the questionnaires include, acquisition of knowledge, application of knowledge and maintenance of competence. Among 20 trainee sampled and interviewed on the effects of experiences of training in fire service , 3/4 or 15 trainees showed that training not only raised their morale but made them go a step further in their own will to save lives and property during the most hazardous disasters. Phase 1. Acquisition of knowledge Basic skills Includes being trained on basic skills such as how to use ladders and pumps, training on hose drills and safety and health information which are undertaken within fist five weeks. Assessments are done on practical skills. Community fire safety Training on how to protect the community through smoke alarm fitting, home fire safety checks and providing advice to the groups that are targeted. Breathing apparatus This part takes almost four weeks and is the most complex and useful for the trainees. It involves developing the trainees to high levels of breathing apparatus, trauma care and road traffic collision procedures. Phase 2. Application of knowledge Enables the trainees to demonstrate their competence in the attained knowledge through practical skills which are measured according to the National occupational standards (NOS). This phase takes around 24 months after which the trainees progress to the third phase. Phase 3. Maintenance of competence In this phase, the fire fighters are ready to exercise their skills according to NOS. This includes, discussing their performance with line managers, identifying needs for further training, completing the PDP’s or Personal Development Plans, recording work based activities evidence and discussing with line managers the desire to advance to higher roles. Conclusion Results comparison Comparing the number of trainees who agitated for training with those who indicated otherwise it is quite evident from the above results that training of the Fire Service personnel is quite significant. However, views on how the training should be undertaken seemed to be unison with all the participants in the research indicating that proper training involved use of modern equipments as well as use of modern skills. This concurs with previous researches conducted in the same field by Hearth 2003, where the results showed that the use of modern equipment during training for fire fighters was instrumental in enhancing fire fighting skills. One cited advantage of the above observation is that the causes of fire are diverse and the methods of handling fires emanating from these causes differ significantly. In this regard diverse and modern equipments were perceived as important in ensuring that such fires were dealt with more appropriately. (Camily, 1995) Results analysis From the above results analysis, it is also evident that the three phases of training are quite vital to the trainees as they empower them to become effective fire fighters through enabling them acquire the necessary skills that ensure their safety as well as the safety of those trapped or caught up in fire. Due to the earlier observed challenges that come with fire fighting, the three phases were indicated as effective only when the appropriate equipments used in training were available. (Felix, 2000) Strengths and weaknesses The above research study has its own strength and weaknesses. First, the information collected was representative as it involved Fire service trainees from different departments spread on a wide geographical area. However, the information was collected on a small sample which represented the entire population of the Fire Service trainees which means that it might have some minimal level of biasness. Implication The results above implies that the policy makers, agencies and other stakeholders should participate more in providing the Fire Service trainees with the required equipments which would ensure that they gather enough skills to be used in fire fighting. REFERENCES Bogil, T. (2001), importance of Fire and Rescue Department, (New York, McGraw Hill) Camily, G. (1995), role of equipments in motivating rescue personnel, (New York, New York Press) David, G. (2004), Tsunami and Katrina: role played by Fire and Rescue Service personnel, (New Delhi, Limpo Publishers) Felix, H. (2000), comparing awards and welfare methods of motivation in Fire and Rescue Service, (Kentucky, Kentruck Press) Helrth, Y. (2003), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in the Fire and Rescue Service departments, (New York, New York Press Release) Jenny, L. (2005), issues related to fire and rescue services, (New York, New York Press) Joyce, R. (2000), research methodologies, (New York, McGraw Hill) Lenny, Y. (2005), what are the stakeholder’s roles in Fire and Rescue Services, (Oxford, Oxford University Press) Peter, K. (2003), motivational challenges for Fire and Rescue Service personnel, (Oxford, Oxford University Press) Siyad, L. (2007), how to manage the effects of continuous bomb blast disasters, (Oxford, Oxford University Press) Susan, D (2004), should Fire departments be Politicised? New York, New York Press) Tommy, J. (2006), the role of Fire and Rescue Services in rescue operations, (New York, Macmillan Publishers) APPENDICES Questionnaire about training in Fire Service departments 10. Are there challenges faced by the Fire service trainees? Yes 20 No 0 11. Do you think the above challenges are life threatening or they are just normal challenges. Yes 20 No 0 12. Do you think there is any need to undertake all the three phases of training as a fire-fighter? Yes 20 No 0 13. Do you think that training as a fire fighter helps you face the above life threatening challenges when carrying out your tasks? Yes 18 No 2 14. Is training as a fire-fighter important in motivating the Fire and Rescue Service personnel? Yes 12 No 8 15. Do you agree to the claim that the three phases, that is, acquisition of knowledge, application of knowledge and maintenance of competence are adequate in empowering a fire-fighter to undertake fire fighting operations more effectively? Yes 18 No 2 16. Do you think that as a trainee the community perceive you as important to them? Yes 10 No10 17. Does the government participate accordingly in ensuring that the needed equipments for training are available so that you can acquire all the skills you need as a fire fighter? Yes 16 No 4 18. Would you desire to continue with this fire service training or would you desire to change your career and perform other tasks rather than being a Fire fighter? Yes 13 No 7 10. As a trainee do you think practical lessons are more important than theoretical lessons or is there any need to undertake both of them? Yes 10 No 10 Questions Results Reasons Yes No 1 Challenges in training 20 0 Yes. It involves practical skills on using equipments such as ladder, pumps, hose drills which require a lot of practice in order efforts. 2. Life threatening or normal challenges in training 20 0 Yes. It involves practical work and any mistakes such as improper handling of equipments during training may be dangerous. 3. Need to take all three training phases. 20 0 Yes. A trainee becomes confident that he/she is adequately equipped to save not only other people’s lives and property but to also ensure his/her safety. 4. Does training help face the above life threatening challenges. 18 2 Yes. It equips one with the needed skills that can be used in saving lives and property even in the worst fire disasters. No. Training is just a portion of what is needed. Adequate remuneration and proper equipments are other factors 5. Training and motivation 12 8 Yes. Once trained you become confident which encourages you to work. No. Training without proper equipments does not motivate one to work as a fire fighter. 6. Do the three faces of training empower you to become an effective fire fighter? 20 0 Yes. Acquiring knowledge and skills is vital in ensuring that a fire fighter will perform his/her task effectively. 7. Do communities appreciate you as a trainee? 10 10 Yes. Some believe that after finishing our training we shall become useful members to the society. No. Others feel that until we go to the field and put out fire we only consume resources for nothing. 8.Participation of the government 16 4 Yes. It provides necessary equipments to be used during training sessions in order to enhance our practical skills. No. some policies formed limits the funds sent to various training centres hampering proper training 9. Desire to continue with Fire Service training 13 7 Yes. It is my carrier of choice and it will give me satisfaction to save lives and property. No. It exposes one to dangerous situations which can affect the health or cause loss of lives. 10. Practical or theoretical preferences 10 10 Yes. Both are important because theory imparts knowledge while practical enhances the skills leaned. No. Practical is enough because fire fighting involves more practical work than theoretical work Read More