The United States Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy is conducting a second pilot class at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, MD, for its newly developed six-day course, Demonstrating Your Fire Prevention Program’s Worth (DYFPPW).
The pilot class is scheduled to occur April 5-10, 2009, with students to arrive Saturday, April 4 and depart Saturday, April 11, 2009.
Applicants who were not successfully placed in the first pilot offering must reapply for the second pilot.
Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to provide students with the tools and skills to be able to evaluate their organization’s fire and injury prevention programs. The course provides a systematic way to improve and account for evaluation actions by involving procedures that are useful, feasible, ethical, and accurate.
The course framework guides fire prevention professionals in their use of prevention program evaluation. It is a practical, nonprescriptive tool, designed to summarize and organize essential elements of prevention program evaluation. The emphasis is on the practical, ongoing evaluation strategies that involve all program stakeholders, not just evaluation experts.
The main themes of the course include:
- Misconceptions regarding the purposes and methods of program evaluation.
- The essential elements of prevention program evaluation
- The steps for conducting effective prevention program evaluation
- Review standards for effective program evaluation
Course units include:
- Why is Evaluation Important in Prevention – the myths, purpose, benefits, of prevention program evaluation, evaluation applied to risk reduction, ethical considerations.
- Evaluation 101 – the stages of program evaluation and applications to current programs
- Engaging Stakeholders and Describing the Program – persons involved in or affected by the programs, primary users of evaluation, description of the program need, expected effects, activities, resources and context.
- Focusing the Evaluation Design – purpose of the evaluation, users and uses of evaluation, questions, methods and agreements for the evaluation.
- Gathering Credible Evidence – methods and logistics for gathering credible evidence. Indicators and sources. Sampling types and common tools and interviewing techniques.
- Writing Objectives – SMART objectives. Benchmarks and timelines for evaluation.
- Analysis – using measures of central tendency and dispersion to interpret data.
- Using EXCEL – formatting and analyzing the data.
- Using the Information – Actions Based on Results – actions and opportunities of results. Presentation of findings.
This new six-day course presents tools and skills in a logical sequence for conducting effective prevention program evaluations. Examples of four types of evaluation are presented throughout the course.
- Formative evaluation
- Process evaluation
- Impact evaluation
- Outcome evaluation
Student Selection Criteria: Any person responsible for programs involved with fire/injury prevention. Students should identify their specific prevention role on the application, and indicate that they have responsibility for prevention programs. Target audiences typically include: fire marshals, fire and building inspectors, public fire/life safety educators, juvenile firesetter intervention specialists, code inspectors and officials, and other community or allied professionals in the fire and injury prevention field.
A laptop computer is required for this class. Please bring to class a laptop computer with Microsoft Office that has a recent version of EXCEL program capabilities. You will be responsible for the computer and its programs while at NFA. The NFA will not purchase or reimburse for the purchase of a computer or its programs.
Also please bring information with you to class regarding one new fire/injury prevention program for which you are responsible. The prevention program should be based on a community need. Information helpful to bring may include data about the program, i.e. its results, coverage statistics, and so forth. You may also want to bring a description of the program, including its objectives.
Application Process
- Students must complete the 2-page General Admission application ( FEMA Form 75-5) available on the Web site at: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/about/attend/apply.shtm
- Completed applications should be submitted by January 28, 2009 to:
NETC Admissions Office
16825 S. Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727 - Completed applications may also be faxed to the Admissions Office at (301)447-1441 or (301)447-1658.
- Applicants should not make plans to attend the pilot until notified by the NETC Admissions Office.
- Stipends for eligible students are available for attendance at these pilots. Attendance at the pilot courses does not prevent an eligible student from obtaining another stipend within the same fiscal year.
