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I just got back from attending a six-day course at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Did you know that Marin County was once considered for the location of the campus, along with over 200 other applicants? What is the history of the NFA? The organization dates back to the mid-1970s, with the need for such an institution identified by a Presidential Commission that published the original "America Burning" report in 1973, written by the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control to evaluate fire loss in the United States. That Commission was started during the President Nixon administration, and the concept for the NFA was later solidified in the President Ford administration.
A few years later President Carter would create FEMA, the organization in which the NFA now operates. We will be creating a page on the NFA this year - did you know that the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial is located in the heart of the campus? Do you know that several members of the Marin Fire Service who suffered a Line of Duty Death are memorialized there? Why are the other Marin County LODD's not recognized there? The article below is from May of 1976. Note that Tiburon Chief Franklin Buschers' first name was mis-spelled. More information coming soon.
A few years later President Carter would create FEMA, the organization in which the NFA now operates. We will be creating a page on the NFA this year - did you know that the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial is located in the heart of the campus? Do you know that several members of the Marin Fire Service who suffered a Line of Duty Death are memorialized there? Why are the other Marin County LODD's not recognized there? The article below is from May of 1976. Note that Tiburon Chief Franklin Buschers' first name was mis-spelled. More information coming soon.
The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
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With thanks to fire service legend and eminent historian Chief Ronny J. Coleman, this week we begin to tell the story of the evolution of fire service training and education in California. We'll first take a closer look at the start and growth of community college fire science programs in Marin and Sonoma counties. We'll later weave in the historical role of California State Fire Training including a profile of Instructor Ed Bent, after whom the California Fire Instructor of the Year award is named after. We'll profile the National Fire Academy, and programs such as Executive Fire Officer, and will cover the current state of training and education resources and opportunities, including online education.
Chief Coleman studied the broader topic about California Fire Service Training and Education for his masters degree thesis at California State University, Long Beach, published in 1994. His introduction included this overview - "The concept of an American fire-training program began in the early 1920s as an effort of Chief Engineer Ralph Scott of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. His work was based on training programs from American metropolitan and suburban departments, which were in turn influenced to some degree by the European fire services."
Special thanks to contributors Chief William Lellis, Larkspur FD, retired, and Division Chief Fred Bunker, Sausalito FD, retired. Both were leaders in regional training and education in the North Bay Area region inside and outside of the college systems, starting in the 1960's and 70's. And both were heavily influenced by Ronny Coleman, who in turn was influenced by leaders such as Ralph J. Scott, Ed Bent, and Ray Picard. Visit our College Fire Science and Technology Section under the "More" tab on our website to read articles by Bill and Fred on the histories of the College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College fire programs.
Chief Coleman studied the broader topic about California Fire Service Training and Education for his masters degree thesis at California State University, Long Beach, published in 1994. His introduction included this overview - "The concept of an American fire-training program began in the early 1920s as an effort of Chief Engineer Ralph Scott of the Los Angeles City Fire Department. His work was based on training programs from American metropolitan and suburban departments, which were in turn influenced to some degree by the European fire services."
Special thanks to contributors Chief William Lellis, Larkspur FD, retired, and Division Chief Fred Bunker, Sausalito FD, retired. Both were leaders in regional training and education in the North Bay Area region inside and outside of the college systems, starting in the 1960's and 70's. And both were heavily influenced by Ronny Coleman, who in turn was influenced by leaders such as Ralph J. Scott, Ed Bent, and Ray Picard. Visit our College Fire Science and Technology Section under the "More" tab on our website to read articles by Bill and Fred on the histories of the College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College fire programs.
Chief Ralph J. Scott served as Fire Chief of the Los Angeles City FD from July 18, 1919 to April 1, 1940. Scott's administration was the longest in LAFD history. Photo courtesy Los Angeles City FD Historical Collection.