The training division coordinates all training, including engine company tactics and strategy, truck operations, rescue operations, fire simulations, apparatus operations, hazardous materials response, and auto extrication. The training and continuing education programs provided adhere to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Illinois State Fire Marshal Division of Personnel Standards (OSFM), Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL), University of Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI), along with local, state, and federal mandates. These are further supported by the department’s involvement in our MABAS Division’s training and being a regional training site for IFSI.

All of the department firefighters are mandated to be certified to the Firefighter II level meeting the standards of OFSM within one (1) year of appointment, to include Hazardous Material Awareness. The firefighter program is taught in-house by state certified instructors from within the department. Both full-time and part-time personnel train weekly in order to remain proficient in their individual skills.

The department has a Training Committee with a make up of both full-time and part-time and is responsible for planning, coordinating, and conducting training for all personnel. The committee meets on a frequent basis to schedule upcoming training agendas and to discuss training needs of the department. The committee is also actively involved in the annual recruitment of part-time (paid-on-call) candidates. Lt. Don Blair is the Training Officer. Email Don Blair.

• A total of 574 training sessions/classes
• A total of 7,388 hours of training logged
• Completed a recertification on Emergency Driving Program
• Completed a “Down & Dirty” hydraulics class
• Completed a Certified Firefighter II Training Program for part-time firefighters
• Acquired grant funding for training props through Illinois Terrorism Task Force and IFSI for the following programs:
  
  
  • Took delivery on a trailer for collapse tool equipment $7,958
  • Took delivery on haz-mat training props $12,446
  • Took delivery on collapse tools and equipment $10,167

• Completed upgrades to the SCBA simulator/maze within the training containers at the training site
• Hosted Chief’s Focus for the 21st Century (through the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association)
• Hosted Highway Watch – Train the Trainer
• Hosted Vehicle Machinery Operations (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted Basic Agricultural Rescue
• Hosted Fire Apparatus Engineer (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted Light and Fight Live Burns (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted Haz-Mat Technicians Drill & Decon Drills
• Hosted Incident Safety Officer Training (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted Basic Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) Training (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted Basic Company Officer Training (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted Auto Extrication Training (through Illinois Fire Service Institute)
• Hosted first annual MABAS 54 Fire School

		Regional Training Facility
Three-Story Burn Building		Collapse House