This is an unofficial page of the PA State Fire Academy. Please visit www.OSFC.PA.gov for informatio
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Pennsylvania Firefighters! Have you signed up on the PA firefighter registry yet?? Once registered, you’ll be able to view and download certificates from previous State Fire Academy trainings and certifications. You can also view and sign up for State Fire Academy classes and certification programs across the state!
Sign up today at the below link and share it with all your departments and personnel as we transition to the new system!
http://psfa.acadisonline.com/
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Next years PA weekend at the National Fire Academy will happen July 19-21. Classes are listed below on the flyer for next year. If you went this year, bring an additional member or friend next year and lets make it bigger yet!
Academy staff and adjunct instructors are multi-tasking this weekend with three separate classes and events happening through Maryland and Pennsylvania! The final day of PA weekend at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland is underway with classes currently wrapping up and students returning to Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, the mobile flashover container and class is conducting day #2 of flashover recognition and survival training in clearfield today. Lastly, resident and adjunct instructors are running a flashover recognition and survival class in the stationary flashover container at the State Fire Academy in Lewistown for the Lewistown Fire Department.
Between all the classes being conducted, over 300 Pennsylvania Firefighters are receiving over 4,500 hours of training this weekend!
PA Weekend at the NFA is wrapping up day 2. Ten classes are running with 235 students in attendance. The day ended with the PA Memorial service recognizing the five Line of Duty Deaths (LODDs) that occurred in Pennsylvania during calendar year 2022.
This weekend the mobile flashover simulator and adjunct fire academy instructors are in Clearfield educating firefighters on flashover recognition and survival. Crews will spend a short time in the classroom before practical exercises inside the flashover container.
Check in just began for the 42nd PA weekend at the National Fire Academy in Emittsburg Maryland. Roughly 250 Pennsylvania firefighters are attending various classes for the weekend.
Students just finished up the Structure 3/4 programs which run in a combined format with the structure 3 class being the firefighters and the structure 4 class being the officers for the week.
The week finishes with live fire scenarios requiring officers to make real-time decisions based on conditions.
More info, and photos, from the class once the instructors recover from the long, warm week!
Today, crews are cleaning up from two long days of Truck Academy I at the PSFA. 21 students performed horizontal and vertical ventilation, forcible entry, victim rescue, ground ladders, and search and PW skills over the course of two days with live fire.
Last week, the newly refurbished mobile flashover container made it debut in Reading and then Towanda. Adjunct academy staff run 8-hour classes with the mobile container consisting of up to 18 people in each class.
Over the winter, the container was refurbished due to its heavy use across the state for multiple years. Resident and adjunct staff expect another busy year with the new container!
Last weekend Truck Academy I ran with a full class and wait-list. Crews worked on basic skills and equipment used at every fire including forcible entry, searches, ladders, victim rescues from aerials and ground ladders, horizontal and vertical ventilation practices, and VES. After a day and a half of skill based training, the final afternoon consisted of scenarios to put it all together and see how well it functions. Although the class is only two days, don’t let it fool you. There’s an online lecture portion as homework before the class, and the two days in person are 10-12 hour days!
Recruitment and Retention is the focus for the volunteer fire service across the country. This class will help you plan your recruitment and retention for your department. See the attached flyer!
Congratulations Commissioner Cook!
We are delighted to announce that Thomas Cook has been tapped by Governor-elect Josh Shapiro to serve as Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner.
He has more than 36 years of experience in emergency services and an extensive background in public and nonprofit administration.
PA instructors, regarding the 2022 year end report, the first email had an error with the link.
Please use the link in the second email.
The 2023 PA State Fire Academy resident class calendar is posted! Remember state fire academy classes are some of the best classes you can find - and you can't beat the cost for PA Firefighters - Classes are FREE. Check out the calendar below and get registered. Share with your friends and firehouses! Remember, The PSFA doesn't really advertise much more than the website, Facebook, and your word of mouth to promote our classes.
Resident Training Calendar
Acting Fire Commissioner Chas McGarvey and Assistant Fire Commissioner Tom Cook kicking off the Western Pennsylvania Fire Instructor Development Conference at Westmoreland County Community College.
Ever wonder what’s happening at the PSFA besides students on the drill grounds learning valuable skills? Last week members from each of the state ETAs who host fire training classes met at the State Fire Academy for a meeting to review critical information related to classes and certification being provided by each of them throughout the state. Another Day at the SFA!
Last night crews wrapped up Truck Academy 1 which started under the moon and ended after sunset both nights! A full class of 24 students took advantage of all the basic Truck skills they could learn before putting them to work during live fire scenarios functioning as first and second due truck companies at each building fire. No engine companies were used or harmed during this class!
Special thanks to PA fire commissioner McGarvey for stopping by and saying hello during the class.
Yesterday was setup day! Today starts two long days of Truck academy 1 at the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy.
This week In Lewistown at the State Fire Academy, 19 students from all ranks and department sizes spent 3 days learning new techniques, refining skills, and gaining experience at the Truck Academy 2 Program.
In this course, students complete 9 skill rotations including cutting various roof types, Charlie side forcible entry, forcing overhead doors, using aerial devices, and victim rescue and prioritization. Students then got to put all the skills to test by running scenario based fire responses as first and second due truck companies. No engine companies or hoselines were used by students during this grueling class, but plenty of tools and saws were!
Today wrapped up the Fire Operations at Large Structures Class (AKA Structure 2) at the State Fire Academy in Lewistown. Students utilize the 4-story mid-rise building to practice engine skills utilizing standpipe hose deployments as well as truck skills for large compartmentalized buildings.
Did you know PSFA resident programs are free for all PA firefighters? Register today for upcoming classes!
That’s a wrap! Adjunct staff just finished 9 days of flashover recognition and survival training as part of the academy on the road program for York County. Roughly 100 firefighters went through the training in the last nine days.
Today is the first day of the PA State Fire Academy, Academy on the Road Flashover Recognition and Survival Program at the York County Fire Training Grounds.
The Flashover program is running daily from now until Sunday September 18th during the day. In the area and interested in registering? Sign up at https://yorkcountyfireschool.org
Fire Operations at Large Structures (Structure II) is scheduled for September 14-18 from 8AM until 4PM. Applications have been extended, if you’d like to apply fill out the application available on the website and send it in this week!
This week the adjunct instructors were in Altoona with the mobile flashover container for Academy On The Road (AOTR) training. Altoona Fire Fighters IAFF Local 299 and mutual aid companies were able to learn about and visually experience flashover conditions in the mobile prop. In total, 25 personnel were trained over two days.
Altoona Fire Fighters IAFF Local 299 getting training with the Academy on the Road Flashover container.
Engine Company Operations at Residential Structure Fires (aka Structure 1) is scheduled to run August 22 - August 26. Registration deadline is August 8th. Sign up today for a good review of engine company operations and the ability to run fire after fire all day for scenarios!
The Pennsylvania State Fire Academy through the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner is just wrapping up the 41st Annual PA Weekend at the National Fire Academy. The weekend hosts eight classes over the 2-day weekend for Pennsylvania first responders to attend and network. On Saturday evening, a memorial was held at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial recognizing all LODDs that occurred or were recognized in the last year by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Thank you FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Fire Administration for making this possible for more than 40 years for Pennsylvania!
This last week, the PSFA ran the Basic Fire Protection for Front Seat Riders program in Lewistown. The program provides extensive information into alarm and sprinkler systems found at protected properties and how to operate each. While the program contains no live fire, it does contain functioning and flowing alarm and sprinkler systems that can be actuated, secured, and controlled just like any commercial building on a typical response.
Last week, 24 students attended the combined Fireground Tactical Operations (15 students) and Fireground Tactical Officer (9 students) programs. These programs run concurrently and are informally known at the Structure 3 and 4 programs.
During Structure 3, students review company level skills under the direction of officers attending the structure 4 program. Afterwards, students are placed on apparatus randomly for scenarios with a crew from structure 3 being under the direction of the structure 4 officers during two days of live fire scenarios with problems that need worked through.
The program hones structure 3 students on basic fireground skills during live fire and the structure 4 students on making decisions under time-compressed circumstances.
What are you doing July 12th and 13th?? If you don’t have plans, an excellent option would be the Basic Fire Protection For Front Seat Riders Program at the State Fire Academy. The program is meant to provide company officers with the knowledge and understanding of both suppression and detection systems that will help handle incidents quicker - both faulty alarms and fire in protected properties. Although the deadline for registration is past, you can still sign up and the class still has openings! You won’t regret it if you handle emergencies in sprinkler and fire alarm protected properties!
Last weekend adjunct instructors from the academy were in Bucks County conducting the mobile flashover training as part of the academy on the road (AOTR) classes. Thanks to Warrington Fire Co. #1 and Doylestown Fire Company No. 1 for their Facebook posts and photos of the training being conducted.
Another full and successful Truck Academy I class at the PA State Fire Academy was completed this week!
Truck Academy I is started online with a lecture portion of the class at your own pace. The goal is to take complete advantage of the time on site for skills. When students arrive at the academy, they do registration forms, gear inspections, and baseline vitals and never see a classroom again, but they do see the drill grounds for two 10-12 hour days each. The class doesn’t have an end time, it’s got a list of skills and the day is over when the skills are complete.
Thanks to a hard working class, and hard working instructor cadre for making it successful once again!
Friendly reminder to suppression instructors, check your email for exciting news about the entry level curriculum!
The PSFA still has some openings for the Structure III/IV series that runs June 27 - July 1!
If you’re not familiar with the Structural Fireground Tactical Officer (Structure 4) and Structural Fireground Tactical Operations (Structure 3), the two classes run concurrently where the officers of structure 4 ride the officer positions and direct the actions of the firefighters in Structure 3.
Firefighters and officers will get the ability to make real-time decisions during live fire and see the outcomes. Sign up today!
The PSFA has openings in the June Engine Company Operations at Residential Structure Fires (Structure 1) program. See the attached flyer.
The annual resident forcible entry program came to an end today with a happy class of students. All students got the chance to cut garage doors, practical forcible entry, dress and maintain tools for peak performance, practice through the lock techniques, remove window bars, and use unique tools like acetylene torches.
The resident Forcible entry class has consistently been recommended as one of the most practical and enjoyable hands-on training sessions available, and it’s short format has made it receptive to students not needing an entire week off work!
Didn’t make it this year? Sign up next year!
Last weekend and this weekend, adjunct instructors with the PSFA through the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner were at Reamstown Fire Company 17-1 with the mobile flashover simulator.
Two separate sessions were held training dozens of firefighters what a flashover looks like from the inside!
Spring ZFID still has some openings!
ZFID pre-reqs here: https://www.osfc.pa.gov/State%20Fire%20Academy1/Resident%20Training%20Program/Suppression%20Instructor%20Development%20(ZFID)%20Prerequisite%20Checklist.pdf
Application here: https://www.osfc.pa.gov/State%20Fire%20Academy1/Resident%20Training%20Program/PA%20State%20Resident%20Application%20Procedures%20Policies.pdf
The First Truck Academy 1 of 2022 is in the books, and all that is left is cleaning up after a long weekend!
24 students rotated through two 10-hour days of skills including Search Drills, Vent Enter Search, Forcible Entry, Ground Ladders, Vertical Ventilation, and Horizontal Ventilation before being turned loose to put the skills to work on full blown scenarios.
The Truck Academy 1 and 2 at Lewistown are one of the few programs in existence anywhere that offer a student to instructor ratio or 2:1 to make sure the skills are done appropriately and safely.
There are two more Truck Academy 1 classes scheduled this year. Sign up today through the State Fire Academy, you won’t be disappointed.
Truck Academy preparing to kick off tomorrow with a full class of 24!
1150 Riverside Drive
Lewistown, PA
17044
| Monday | 8am - 4pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 4pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 4pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 4pm |
| Friday | 8am - 4pm |
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Structure 1 / Day 2 / Video Mashup
Coming to the PSFA March 31st to April 2nd - Flammable Liquid and Gas Firefighting! Most people probably assume they don't need it because they don't have industry in their area. The course will cover 3-dimensional fuel fires (like a ruptured and leaking fuel tank), compressed gas cylinder fires (like propane cylinders at a residential house), the use of extinguishers on flammable liquids and gasses, and foam usages including on ethanol blend and Bakken crude fuels. If it's fire you want, it's the most fire you'll see. It just happens to not be inside of a building this time! Join us March 31-April 2 for a great class!
This week at the PSFA, Engine Company Operations for Residential Buildings (Structure 1) is currently under way. Crews spend some time in the classroom, several days of skills outside, and conclude with live fires tomorrow.
Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Mobile Flashover in Franklin County this weekend.
Truck Academy Two final scenarios!!!
Day 2 Truck Academy 2 Live Fire Scenario.
PSFA Truck Academy 2, day 2. Garage doors, aerial work, and searches.
Truck 2 academy day one in full swing with saws, ladders, and doors.
Truck 1 Academy run-in scenarios.
VES scenarios
Truck Academy Day 2 in the works in the rain.
Truck Academy Day 1 in full swing
This is an unofficial page for the PA State Fire Academy in Lewistown, PA.
For official information about the PA Office of the State Fire Commissioner or the PA State Fire Academy, please visit www.OSFC.PA.gov
Mifflin County Children and Youth Services
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