Wildfire destroys everything in its path. With a mere shift of the wind, it can become a monster endangering those who don’t understand its nature. Federal, state and local government firefighter skills are honed by arduous and constant training required to fight wildland fires and survive. Anyone who doesn’t have that level of training jeopardizes everyone on the fireline.
Good Cause for Confidence
- Nationally recognized database for tracking training
- Excellent training/tracking system ensures firefighter skill/safety
- Most NWSA certified instructors/trainers are former state/federal wildland fire employees – combine 1000 or more years of wildland fire experience.
- NWSA Code of Ethics and monitoring program govern instructors, and all instructor must sign this Code of Ethics.
- Training sessions u at the annual NWSA Conference update NWSA instructors on changes and new requirements.
- NWSA standards are established by the NWCG “Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide” and the “Field Managers Course Guide”.
Training Program
The National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) is recognized by federal/state and local agencies for the quality of our instructor certification programs. They are designed to provide resources that meet or exceed all training, safety, experience, and physical fitness standards identified in the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Wildland Fire Qualifications System Guide (PMS 310-1). More than 12,000 private wildland firefighters receive training by NWSA Certified Instructors annually. Our focus on performance and safety has resulted in loss ratios (accidents) that are significantly lower.
NWSA was the first to hold the Pacific Northwest Coordination Group (PNWCG) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to certify instructors to train private sector, agencies, and interested parties.
NWSA’s nationally recognized database for tracking all training by NWSA certified instructors meets all the requirements of the PNWCG MOU and is open to other users by affiliation for checking training records, Incident Qualification (IQ) Cards, and photo ID. It securely prints IQ Cards and Training Certificates.
In 2009, a new course, Business Ethics 101, will help certify our member companies in the basics of Worker’s Compensation, USDOL and USDOT , OSHA regulations, Drug & Alcohol Training and business ethics. Many other seminars at our national conference offer continuing professional growth and important important information on current issues.
All these efforts by NWSA have resulted in a highly trained, safety centered, trustworthy resource that agencies can trust on the fireline or any emergency incident.