After eight weeks of training, the city of Davis Fire Department expands fire team
By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org
The Davis Fire Department recently swore in four new firefighters after an eight-week training program.
The city of Davis Fire Department partnered with the West Valley Regional Training Consortium to coordinate and oversee all training programs for the department. The West Valley Regional Training Consortium is an organization founded in 2012 that aims to enhance and better support fire agencies by providing quality training programs.
Their training program typically includes a range of preparatory and precautionary activities including classes in hazardous materials mitigation, wildland firefighting, firefighter survival, high rise response and safety, forcible entry, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) certification and maintenance, ventilation practice and technical rescue. The program emphasizes practicing confined space rescue, trench rescue and water rescue in order to ensure the firefighters are adequately prepared for any possible issues.
Employment by the city of Davis Fire Department includes several basic criteria including a minimum age of 18 years old, a high school diploma or GED, a California Driver’s License, a California State Firefighter I Certificate and an Emergency Medical Technician Certificate.
The Fire Department also has several other desired, though not required, criteria including a college degree, prior paid or volunteer firefighting experience and any other related relevant specialized training including paramedic, hazardous materials first responder, swift water rescue and more.
The Davis Fire Department is currently staffed by 36 shift personnel, who are divided into shifts to work a 24-hour day. The Fire Department has three stations including ones in Central, West and South Davis.
As part of his introductory speech, the current police chief Joseph Tenner, who has been serving the Davis Fire Department since 1989, highlighted the importance of these training programs and developing the team as a unit.
“There are many other areas under review such as staffing, resource deployment, training, emergency preparedness and communications,” Tenner said. “My primary goal as the new Fire Chief is to move the department forward as a cohesive team maintaining the highest professional service to the Davis community.”
Tenner, along with the rest of the department, hopes to focus on team and technology development moving forward.
Written by: Alma Culverwell — city@theaggie.org
