NFA Board of Visitors Annual Report 2000

United States Fire Administration
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Fiscal Year 2000 has been a year of action in reestablishing the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Fire Academy (NFA) as the leader in fire prevention, training, education, and research initiatives.

At the beginning of the fiscal year, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James L. Witt appointed Kenneth O. Burris, Jr., of Marietta, Georgia, as the Chief Operating Officer of the USFA. Under Chief Burris' guidance the following actions, many of which were recommended by the Blue Ribbon Panel or contained in the Action Plan, have been implemented.

Objectives for the next five years were adopted to provide the necessary focus for the organization and the programmatic activities. They address reducing fire deaths (particularly among the young, elderly, and firefighters) and promoting community multi-hazard risk reduction plans.

Programmatically, the NFA has taken actions to implement the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel, the Action Plan, and the Stakeholders regarding expanding access to the NFA programs, strengthening the partnership between the State training programs and the NFA, and ensuring enhanced opportunities for training for the current and future leaders of the Fire Service.

A number of NFA courses have been piloted for delivery over the Internet. The USFA and NFA websites are being used to deliver information and instructional resources to students and stakeholders.
The NFA has included the Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP) in its Long-Term Evaluation Program. This will provide valuable information for management decisions regarding future directions for this program. In addition, NFA conducted an EFOP Curriculum Advisory Committee meeting in August. The recommendations resulting from these efforts are being reviewed, and implementation actions will begin in Fiscal Year 2001.
The NFA is moving ahead to ensure its courses are consistent with the Operational Objectives. As courses are reviewed and revised, NFA is ensuring that they include a multi-hazard orientation. Fire protection and code enforcement topics are being included in relevant courses. Additionally, the new approach undertaken by the USFA/NFA will result in National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data and USFA reports being included in the courses where relevant.
The importance of the partnership between the State training programs and NFA is reflected in some new initiatives. First are the Enfranchisement, Endorsement, and course Hand-Off Programs. State training systems can deliver NFA residential courses through the Enfranchisement Program. States may submit courses they have developed for endorsement by the NFA, thus extending portability and reciprocity. There will be more sharing of State-developed courses between and among the States and more offerings available for delivery at the State and local level.

Second, the NFA is providing funding to the State/local Training Resources and Data Exchange (TRADE) Program to develop a variety of plans to support training operations and increase student participation in off-campus offerings of NFA courses. This project will result in an inventory of State and local courses that include an evaluation of the National Fire Protection Association standards addressed in the course and a mechanism to more accurately collect data at the State and local levels.

A number of NFA courses have been designed for Distance Delivery, expanding accessibility of NFA courses to all members of the fire service. New and existing courses have been designed for delivery through the Internet and the distribution of CD-ROMs.

Finally, the NFA is exploring ways to reach out to a broader range of individuals including methods of enhancing the diversity of the student population. Through the development, implementation, and expansion of Distance Delivery programs and partnerships with TRADE and State training programs, personnel who may not be able to attend NFA resident courses because of personal, professional, and financial reasons will be able to access NFA training and education opportunities.

Organizationally, the USFA has embraced and implemented a team approach that will allow it to more effectively and efficiently fulfill its mission and achieve its Operational Objectives. This organizational design will allow the USFA to develop and deliver programs based on continuing research regarding the fire problem and approaches designed to address this problem. Materials developed through data collection and analysis and research will be an integral part of the course development and delivery.

It is also through the team approach that USFA/NFA is addressing all the items in the Action Plan. Recommendations for a majority of the items have already been formulated and transmitted to USFA/NFA management for implementation.

Director Witt made a commitment to institutionalize changes to restore the USFA/NFA and its fire programs to be a vital and vigorous partner in the Nation's public safety responsibilities. He has kept this promise and even in the short space of a year, much progress has been made toward this goal.

Fiscal Year 1999 Meeting Schedule:
October 1-2, 1999
March 16-18, 2000

Cynthia A. Wilk, Chair
Assistant Director
Division of Codes & Standards
Department of Community Affairs
Trenton, New Jersey

Robert S. Fleming, Vice-Chair
Professor, Rowan University
West Chester, Pennsylvania

Karl J. Berardi, Captain
Manchester Fire Department
Bedford, New Hampshire

Art Cota, Division Chief
State Fire Training
Sacramento, California

Steve Ennis, First Vice Chairman
National Volunteer Fire Council
Fredericksburg, Virginia

Warren McDaniels, Fire Chief
New Orleans Fire Department
New Orleans, Louisiana

Donald R. Oliver, Fire Chief
Wilson Fire Rescue Services
Wilson, North Carolina

Robert J. Sledgeski
Secretary/Treasurer
Baltimore Fire Fighters Local 734
Baltimore, Maryland

Neil Svetanics, Fire Chief (Retired)
St. Louis, Missouri

Gary Tokle (Alternate)
Assistant Vice President
Public Fire Protection
National Fire Protection Association
Quincy, Massachusetts