By Roxanne Bercik, Bill Lowe, and Laurie Mooney
During a two-week period from July 21 to August 2, 2002, we attended our first of four Executive Fire Officer (EFO) courses at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Fire Academy (NFA) in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Here is a first-hand perspective of the registration, attendance, and logistical issues regarding the numerous educational opportunities and outcomes gained from an on-campus National Fire Academy experience. We hope more firefighters and fire officers will consider pursuing the NFA as the premier institution for professional development.
Application Process
While we were attending the EFO program, numerous other courses were being taught. The best source of current information regarding course curriculum and schedules is to visit the NFA’s Web site at www.usfa.fema.gov/dhtml/fire-service/nfa.cfm. Applications can be downloaded, completed, and postal mailed to Admissions for a prompt decision.
The EFO program requires a more extensive application including the following: letter to admissions, resume, copy of college diploma, organizational chart, and supervisor’s recommendation letter. Completing this process requires additional time, so submit your applications early.
Expenses
The NFA’s 2003 Catalog of Activities states, “There are no tuition fees for NFA courses. All instruction and course materials are provided at no cost. Transportation costs and lodging for students who represent career or volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, or state/local governments attending on-campus courses are currently provided as part of funding under the student stipend reimbursement program.”
Students stay in the dorms for free and have their travel expenses reimbursed using a fixed payment scale that considers the length of travel. Our airplane travel costs from California, Florida, and Georgia were all reimbursed at 100 percent. Meal vouchers for the entire two-week course cost students $192. We also incurred additional expenses for off-campus meals, class shirts, contributions to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, weekend visit to Baltimore Harbor, etc.
Acceptance and Travel Plans
Our acceptance letters arrived with detailed information for making our travel plans. Students have choices of travel to Reagan National, Dulles, or Baltimore/Washington International Airports. For arrivals, the NFA dispatches motor coaches that make both early afternoon and late afternoon pickups from each of the preceding airports. This offers students greater flexibility in making their travel plans. It’s a short 90-minute trip to the NFA from all airports. If students are traveling across several time zones, we recommend taking a Saturday night “redeye” to allow arrival for an early afternoon shuttle. This facilitates the NFA check-in process and allows additional campus orientation time.
Arrival and Registration
For most students, Sunday is the primary travel day for arriving at the NFA. However, a few students will start their travel on Saturday if traveling a great distance. Motor coaches disembark students directly in front of “C” building where student registration and the 24-hour staffed front office are located.
Students complete their registration and are provided room keys and meal tickets. Students are provided a campus map and quickly find their rooms for the next two weeks. Information regarding class schedules, classroom location, and the mandatory Monday morning orientation session is also provided. Returning students are more than willing to assist with information and answer questions from wandering first-time students.
Dormitory Rooms
Dormitory rooms are generally single-occupant, offering student all of the comforts of home: twin bed, private bathroom with tub/shower, refrigerator, cable television, desk and chair, access to Internet (if students have brought their laptops), and dresser. The housekeeping staff cleans rooms daily, changing bed linens and providing fresh towels.
Laundry and Student Lounges
Each student building contains a laundry room and student lounge on every floor. Students can bring enough clothes for one week and then spend a few hours at night or on the weekend to wash their clothes. Student lounges are a great benefit as students spend out-of-class time completing group assignments. The lounges contain conference tables and chairs, couches, television, and snack machines are just down the hall. Our study groups utilized these student lounges extensively during our two-week course.
Orientation and First Day of Class
Students are required to attend a mandatory orientation session before the start of classes on Monday morning. This session provides a review by NFA staff on policy and procedures, campus activities, security issues, conduct expectations, etc. The orientation lasts 45 minutes and students are released to their respective classes.
Instructors and Staff
The quality of instructors teaching NFA classes is world-class. These instructors undergo stringent evaluations of their academic, public safety experience, and teaching experience and serve various internship roles before being approved as primary course instructors. In many instances, instructors are quite familiar to students because of their numerous fire service articles and conference presentations.
Furthermore, academy staffs including Superintendent Dr. Denis Onieal, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Kirby Kiefer, program directors, and special guests are regular classroom visitors. During our course, 11 senior fire officers from Malaysia were touring the NFA campus while on an international exchange program. It was a fantastic privilege to listen how Malaysia emergency services are provided. Additionally, senior NFA staff are readily accessible walking about the campus or in the dining hall.
National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
The campus’ most beautiful monument is the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. It was constructed more than 20 years ago and is open to the public throughout the year. Whenever a firefighter dies in the line of duty, a notice is posted and flags are flown at half-staff. Tragically during our short two weeks at the NFA, six firefighters died performing their public safety missions.
Learning Resource Center
The Learning Resource Center (LRC) is a hub of activity and maintains one of the country’s largest archives of fire service and public safety literature. The LRC staff is available to help students identify and locate references for applied research or course assignments. Additionally, most information can be borrowed via interlibrary when students return home and need additional materials.
O’Leary’s Emporium
O’Leary’s is the student store. Clothing, books, medical and hygiene supplies, candy and snacks, postage and mailing supplies, gifts, etc. are just a quick five-minute walk from anywhere on campus. The store opens early and closes late and operates whenever students are on campus.
Dining Hall
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served seven days a week.
Computer Center
Unless students need to access the Internet from their dorm rooms, bringing laptops to the NFA is not necessary. The computer center has numerous desktop workstations complete with high-speed Internet access and printers. Furthermore, classrooms generally have five or six PC workstations, allowing students to conduct research, complete assignments, or check e-mail.
Command Post Pub
Without question, the Command Post Pub (CPP) is a critical component of the NFA academy experience. While the CPP is a members’ only facility (membership costs $1 for students’ two week stay), it is a central meeting place for students. Members can shoot pool; play cards or video games; read library books; listen to music; watch a big screen television; enjoy some reflective thinking; toss back some liquid refreshments; and, most importantly, network with other students.
Fitness Center
A fitness center with swimming pool operates before and after class and on weekends. Students can lift weights, run on a treadmill, swim laps in the inside swimming pool, and check out bikes for free. It’s a great place to relieve a little stress and exercise some stiff muscles from sitting in class.
The Ott House
The Ott House is a family-owned restaurant/bar about a ten-minute walk from the NFA campus. While students are seeking a little change from the dining hall, the Ott House is a convenient and popular destination. The food is plentiful and inexpensive, and the Ott House offers free shuttle service to and from the NFA.
Emmitsburg
Emmitsburg is a peaceful little town. The volunteer fire department has a visitor’s center and sells patches and T-shirts. The firefighters are friendly and enjoy meeting fellow firefighters from around the globe. The town offers a grocery store, drug store, fast food restaurants, and several specialty stores selling NFA items.
Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is located 15 minutes from the NFA and is a popular weekend excursion site for students. It has many restaurants, stores, and historical sites such as Gettysburg National Battlefield. It is an amazing sight to tour the battlefield either on foot, rented horses, or double-decker bus. The battle resulted in more than 51,000 killed, wounded, and captured Union and Confederate soldiers. The Web site for this National Park is www.nps.gov/gett/.
Graduation and Departure
Graduation takes place on Friday at 8:00 a.m. and is a wonderful conclusion to the educational and career development experience. Quite literally, lifelong friendships were established and an acknowledgement that the fire service is larger than our local communities. It is reassuring that no matter what a department’s size, staffing, budget, or political issues, the solutions are the same and achievable.
Graduation allows classes to offer comments on their learning and personal experiences, and students receive their course certificates from Superintendent Denis Onieal and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Kirby Kiefer. The ceremony is about 45 minutes long and students have a few minutes for last-minute handshakes, hugs, and photos. Students then gather their luggage at the motor coaches to leave the campus at 9:30 a.m. for transportation to their respective airport destinations.
A Great Experience
We found our National Fire Academy experience to be a highlight of our fire service careers. The quality of the educational curriculum; dedicated instructors, program directors, and support staff; excellent classroom and dormitory facilities; student fellowship; and recreational activities is world class. Firefighters and fire officers seeking the ultimate in career and professional development experiences should STRONGLY consider submitting their NFA on-campus applications. The best time to apply is NOW!
Roxanne Bercik is a battalion chief with the Los Angeles City (CA) Fire Department, where she has worked for 18 years. She has a bachelor of arts in economics and a master of public administration.
Bill Lowe is a captain with the Clayton County (GA) Fire Department, where he has worked for 23 years. He has a doctorate in human resource management and a postdoctoral specialization in marketing management.
Laurie Mooney is a battalion chief with the Longwood (FL) Fire Department, where she has worked for 20 years. She has an associate of science in fire administration and is pursing a bachelor of science in public administration.
