Artifact #83 - Teacher involvement

 Although Fire and Rescue at MTC involves just one instructor for the program, the instructor works closely with the area's career fire fighters.  Many officers from the area's fire and rescue serve as guest lecturers and their input is used to continually improve the Fire and Rescue program at MassanuttenTechnical Center.

Here are just a few examples of how we have used feedback to evolve the program over the few short years it has been in existence at MTC.  To begin with, we have adjusted the schedule for the first year program.  We now teach the First Aid/CPR at the beginning of the year instead of in the spring.  Thus, by the end of the first semester, students have achieved the first certification.  Another change is how we have moved our Incident Command courses to the spring instead of the middle of the school year.  This enables us to take advantage of weather where we can go out and set up realistic scenarios in which our students take part. 

We are in the process of developing a notebook that will contain all Fire Fighter I & II skill sheets; this recommendation came from one of my colleagues.  By creating this notebook we are able to have all skill sheets available at all times when we are away from the classroom.  Based on other teacher feedback, we have moved some our skills to a volunteer station and are able conduct some of this training inside from the cold and elements in lieu of going to the training grounds for all practical evolutions.  The students have been very appreciative as this provides a better teaching environment for our guest lecturers/trainers and a better learning environment for our students.  We as a team are always seeking input for program improvement.