National Fire Academy to Announce New Procedures for Acquiring Instructors

News Release Date: June 13, 2007

EMMITSBURG, MD. – The United States Fire Administration (USFA) will soon release new procedures for recruiting and certifying National Fire Academy (NFA) contract instructors. The announced changes will be published on the USFA Web site; those interested in becoming NFA instructors should monitor the Contract Instructor section of the site for announcements.

"On any typical day, the NFA receives questions and inquiries from many different individuals, public and private organizations, and fire service personnel regarding the process for becoming an instructor at the National Fire Academy," according to Superintendent Dr. Denis Onieal. "The NFA will soon be actively seeking and soliciting new instructors for all of its subject areas."

One of the forthcoming changes is the opportunity for potential instructors, who otherwise meet the qualifications to teach a class, to become eligible contract instructors without attending the once mandatory in-service training class. Depending on the specific course of instruction, a contract instructor might meet qualifications through a teaching demonstration while in attendance at the NFA.

"The National Fire Academy is constantly trying to improve its operations," continued Onieal. "We've shortened classes in response to student requests; now we have opened the doors to the next generation of NFA instructors."

The recruitment of new instructors will begin in the coming weeks. For further information, please visit the Contract Instructor section of the USFA Web site.