Fire Service Leaders, 

The Georgia Fire Academy has immediate openings in the course Basic Firefighter Training Course starting March 7, 2025. 

Course Description: The Basic Firefighter Training Course (BFTC) is a 10 week (428 hour) course beginning on a Friday with Day 0 for orientation and overview. The course meets or exceeds the standards in NFPA 1001 (current), as well as NFPA 1072 (current). The students will be tested mentally and physically in stages throughout the course delivery to ensure competence and ability at the various levels of basic firefighting. During the course, testing will include weekly written tests administered by the Georgia Fire Academy Division. Practical skill performance and evaluation will occur throughout the course to ensure competency in job performance capabilities necessary culminating in a 24 hour drill exercise. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have achieved Firefighter I, HAZMAT Awareness and Operations, Structural Fire Control, and Interior Search and Rescue.

This is a 51-day delivery and will be held 03/07/2025 to 05/16/2025 on the Forsyth campus of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.

Use the following link to register: Basic Firefighter Training Course - 03/07/2025 - 05/16/2025

See attached for further, 

Ike McConnell

Division Director, Georgia Fire Academy

Georgia Public Safety Training Center

478-993-4697   imcconnell@gpstc.org

www.gpstc.org

1000 Indian Springs Dr, Forsyth, GA 31029

Webinar - Essentials of Volunteer Retention & Recruitment

Feb. 13 at 2pm ET

Presenter: Tom Merrill

Many fire and EMS departments across the nation are struggling to find new volunteer members and retain their current members. This session discusses the challenges of recruiting volunteers, presents valuable research collected as part of the NVFC’s Make Me A Firefighter campaign, and offers ideas to help overcome recruiting challenges. Potential retention solutions and the importance of leadership will also be covered.

Tom Merrill is a 42-year fire department veteran and serves with the Snyder Fire Department in Amherst, NY (first ring suburb of the City of Buffalo). He served 26 years as a department officer including 15 years in the chief officer ranks. He was chief of department from 2007-2012 and currently serves as a fire commissioner for the Snyder Fire District. Tom has conducted various fire service presentations and keynote addresses throughout the country and also hosts a regular podcast sponsored by Fire Engineering titled “The Professional Volunteer Fire Department.” His book, The Professional Volunteer Fire Department, was published by Fire Engineering Books and Videos and was released in September 2023. Tom is employed full time as the senior fire dispatcher in charge of the Town of Amherst Central Fire Alarm Office.