Acency Profile
The Fire Services Training School (FSTS) is the state level agency charged with providing professional development for community fire and rescue services. For administrative purposes, the FSTS is attached to the Extension Service of Montana State University.
Purpose
The objectives of FSTS as specified in Section 20-31-103 MCA are to:
1. Provide fire service personnel with professional training
2. Identify new methods of fire prevention and suppression and disseminate information about them
3. Provide a resource center for use by local fire services
4. Provide testing and certification for personnel and apparatus
5. Coordinate fire services training in the state.
Mission
The mission of the FSTS is to build capacity in local governments for protecting the life safety of citizens, their property, the tax base and infrastructure from harm caused by unwanted fires, accidents, injuries, hazardous materials incidents and other emergencies.
Scope of Services and Philosophy
The FSTS serves all of Montana’s fire departments, companies and districts. This audience consists of an estimated 11,000 members in 432 fire companies, 96% of which are volunteers. The FSTS develops and operates programs which make local government effective in their mission of providing quality fire and rescue service to the public. FSTS supports and promotes:
(a) “standard of care” operations,
(b) self-sustained training programs within local organizations,
(c) sharing of resources between organizations, and
(d) individual growth of emergency service personnel through training.
Facilities
FSTS offices are now located in the Wheat Building, 750 6th Street Southwest, Great Falls, Montana. However, FSTS operates all over the state, utilizing the facilities, apparatus, and equipment of community fire services when providing training services. FSTS trainers are strategically located in Great Falls, Billings, Helena, Bozeman, Kalispell, Huson and Wolf Point. FSTS operates several mobile training props, all dedicated fire training structures are owned by communities.
Advisory Council
FSTS works closely with its Advisory Council which is appointed by the Board of Regents. The Council is very active in providing direction for the School’s programs, and its members are also involved in leadership roles with other organizations.
Current Advisory Council Members
| Gar Wood | Fire Chief, Loma | (W) 788-7287, (H) 739-4224 | 7outhome@ttc-cmc.net |
| Tim Mort | Fire Chief, W. Glendive | (W) 365-2177, (H) 365-5726 | mortdist@mcn.net |
| Gary Mahugh | Fire Chief, Creston | (H) 755-9535 | mahughfire@centurytel.net |
| Bill Perrin | Captain, Stevensville | (W) 642-3431, (H) 777-3937 | billp@farmersebank.com |
| Curt Belts | Chief, Missoula Rural Fire District | (W) 549-6172 | cbelts@mrfdfire.org |
| Woody Ekegern | MSU Retired Professor Emeritus | (W) 388-7047 | lorekege@bresnan.net |
| Tony Cate | Fire Fighter, Missoula Fire Department | (W) 523-4790, (H) 728-1353 | tcate@ci.missoula.mt.us |
| Tom Kuntz | Fire Chief, Red Lodge Rural FD | (W) 446-3333, (H) 446-3511 | firechief@montana.net |
(Ex officio members not included.)
Funding
| Actual 2007 Funding |
| General Fund | $623,983 | 70% |
| Fees for Service | $193,243 | 22% |
| Grants | $67,630 | 8% |
| Resource Allocation |
| Training Services | 91% |
| Information Resources | 2% |
| Testing Services | 7% |
Services Provided by the Fire Services Training School
Special Assistance
FSTS provides special educational programs and services to assist local fire & rescue organizations with training, planning, technical and management problems. Research is conducted by staff members or referred to subject matter experts with which FSTS maintains contact. Services have ranged from conducting a performance audit of a local fire department to testing apparatus.
Curriculum Development
FSTS has developed an innovative approach for training fire fighters which has received national acclaim. The program is gaining popularity and was especially designed to meet the needs of Montana’s fire services. Additional levels are under development, as well as revisions to existing units.
Training Delivery
In the 2007 fiscal year, 3,072 emergency responders from 53 counties received 26,282 contact hours or 2,038 course hours of instruction from FSTS. Currently, operations staff log more than 100,000 miles per year to provide training in communities all over Montana.
Emergency Services Library
FSTS maintains an extensive library of fire and EMS related materials, all of which are available on a loan basis to local fire services. FSTS made 919 resource center loans of equipment and materials in 2007. Materials include transparencies, course guides, video tapes, lesson plans, hardware, instructor kits, periodicals, reference books, catalogs and technical reports. Over two thousand loans are made annually. An annual membership fee is charged to help fund this service.
Newsletter
FSTS compiles and publishes two newsletters. The Montana Fire & Rescue newsletter is published monthly in cooperation with Fire and Aviation Management (DNRC).
Web Page
FSTS maintains a Webpage that features the Daily Latest, Agency Profile, Training and Certification, Resource Center, Market Place, and other topics of interest.
Professional Certification
FSTS offers a testing program which recognizes demonstrated professional competence. FSTS issued a total of 44 professional training certifications in 2007. Fire service personnel are tested against standards for various levels and specialties and recognized with a certificate for success. The program is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and the National Board for Fire Service Professional Qualifications.
Mobile Training Labs
FSTS also operates a number of mobile training props. A confined space prop has been constructed in a trailer and is used by trainers to teach confined space techniques. A FLAG (Flammable Liquid and Gas) trailer provides learners with hands-on training in the danger of flammable gases and liquids. A burn trailer gives fire fighters the opportunity to fight a simulated fire. A new live burn prop is in the planning stages. Props are rotated between fire companies who request them and trainers are assigned when necessary. When local trainers are well versed in prop operations and safety concerns, the props are made available to them without an FSTS trainer.
Coaches Network
FSTS identifies and trains experienced fire fighters to be coaches. These individuals then train personnel within their own or other departments. Coaches make major contributions to the development of training materials and provide instruction at agency sponsored courses.
Manual Program
FSTS develops written examinations on training materials published by the International Fire Services Training Association. These testing materials are routinely revised and used by a few career fire departments in Montana.
National Fire Academy/FSTS Partnership
FSTS operates in partnership with the National Fire Academy to bring NFA Courses to Montana. Each year, nine courses are delivered utilizing NFA instructors from all over the United States.