North Carolina Weekend – Emmitsburg, Maryland
2-day On-Campus Program at the National Fire Academy (State Weekend)
November 17 - 19, 2023
The 2-Day on-Campus Program (formerly State Weekend Program) is targeted for fire service personnel with a minimum of 3 years’ experience. Most 2-day courses are designed for mid-level officers rather than chief officers or firefighters.
2023 NFA Weekend Schedule
November 17, 2023- Travel Day
4:00 - 6:00 PM - Registration
5:00 PM - Dinner (campus cafeteria)
6:15 PM - Opening Session (Attendance is Mandatory)
7:00 PM - Classes begin
9:00 PM - Classes end for the day
November 18, 2023
8:00 AM - Classes resume
5:00 PM - Classes end for the day
November 19, 2023
8:00 AM - Classes resume
2:00 PM - Classes end
Students: Please read and follow the instructions prior to registering.
To apply for a course, you need a FEMA Student Identification Number (SID). This number will be used in place of a Social Security Number on General Admissions Application forms. This includes applications for the 2-day on-campus program (the State Weekend Program). Please click on the link below to obtain your SID. The process takes about 10 minutes.
Eligibility to receive a certificate of completion requires class attendance Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Failure to do so will result in your entire department being banned from State Weekend programs for a period of 3 years. If you have an emergency and must leave the campus, please contact Student Services in Building “C” and ask them to inform Brian Wade.
Registration:
The registration fee is $200.00. This fee covers meals in the Campus Cafeteria - Friday dinner through Sunday lunch (at the campus cafeteria), socials, and a recreational pass required by the National Fire Academy. Lodging and course costs are absorbed by the Academy. Transportation expenses and meals in route and return are the responsibility of the student.
Registration fee must be paid online.
Application Deadline:
Online registration and payment is required no later than September 30, 2023. Before an application is eligible for review the online payment and registration must be completed.
Individual applicants will be notified by email of their acceptance or denial into the State Weekend Program. A link to complete the new USFA online class application will be emailed to the applicant on or before October 13th. Please provide a valid email address on your online registration. This must be an individual email and not one that is used for multiple people. It must be specific to the applicant.
Failure to complete the FEMA online class application by October 31st will result in your application being denied. You will be denied access to campus and class.
Refunds will not be issued after October 20, 2023.
FEMA Covid Policy:
The NETC will no longer require vaccination or other proof of vaccination for contractors, visitors, students, and instructors.
Note: The National Fire Academy now requires testing for all classes.
Course Selection:
You will be asked for first, second, and third class choices. Every effort will be made to place you in your first choice however it is not always possible. Please make sure you really wish to take the second and third choices. If a second or third choice is not indicated on your application, you will be placed in a class with the lowest registration numbers.
Please ensure that you meet the selection criteria to ensure that you qualify for the classes you select.
COURSE SELECTIONS
Curriculum: Planning & Information Management
This two-day course teaches students how to use standardized forms to achieve uniformity in their incident and activity reporting. This training program is designed specifically to support local fire service organizations, and it will assist them in providing data both to their management and to decision-makers, as well as to their state uniform fire reporting system. At a local level, National Fire Incident Reporting System data can be used to:
- Describe a community's fire problem.
- Support budget requests.
- Improve decision-making for allocation of resources
- Assist in planning for future fire protection.
- Help identify opportunities for scheduling nonemergency activities.
- Evaluate code enforcement programs.
- Identify target audiences for public fire education programs.
- Support requests from grant making organizations and alternative funding sources to fund department programs and priorities.
Selection Criteria
New, current and potential users of a fire department or state uniform reporting system. Members of local or state fire service organizations responsible for documenting incidents and/or incident data collection.
Prerequisites: None
Student pre-course materials and course syllabus
Curriculum – Incident Management
The purpose of this 2-day course is to provide knowledge and skills for having difficult conversations to exercise leadership in addressing adaptive challenges. The goal of this course is for the participant to identify and apply skills for having difficult conversations as they relate to exercising leadership when addressing adaptive challenges.
Selection Criteria
- The Primary target is fire and emergency service personnel in positions of authority (executive level officers) who have an opportunity to exercise leadership. Note: Participants must be minimally assigned to a supervisory-level position (for example, a Company Officer).
Prerequisites: (ICS)-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online at www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/nfaonline.
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/ax/pcm/BYOD_Instructions_0522.pdf
Curriculum: Leadership and Executive Development
This is two-day course is designed to assist first- and second-level supervisors and Company Officers (COs) in developing knowledge and skills in contemporary approaches to organizational problem-solving.
- Use of creative approaches to identify trends within their organizations.
- Applying problem-solving methodologies.
- The importance and application of continuous improvement within organizations.
- How to quantify problems and solutions.
- Factors in organizational and individual resistance to change.
- Strategies for implementing change.
- The course incorporates facilitated, student-centered methodologies, including lecture, small and large group activities, and individual assessments.
Selection Criteria
- First- and second-level supervisors and COs who are upwardly mobile within their organizations and whose department head wishes to prepare them for increased managerial responsibility.
- Administrative officers who are responsible for significant staff functions within the organization and who report directly to top management. Emergency service workers assigned to positions with decision-making responsibilities.
Prerequisites: ICS-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online.
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/ax/pcm/BYOD_Instructions_0602.pdf
Curriculum: Incident Management
This 2-day course is designed to provide Company Officers (COs) with a better understanding of multiagency needs and a Unified Command structure. The attendees will gain an understanding of the requirements of a Unified Command organization and provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to operate effectively in complex incidents.
Selection criteria
The primary audience for the course is fire department COs, first responders, chief officers and others who would function in a Command or General Staff position during a multiagency operation.
Further specification for the audience includes officers who have command responsibilities, are upwardly mobile and act in the position of a command officer, would function in a Command or General Staff position during a Unified Command operation, and are initially responsible for setting up the Incident Command organization.
Prerequisites: ICS-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online. Chief's signature attests that the applicant has completed this required training.
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/ax/syll/syllabus_w0609.pdf
Curriculum: Fire Prevention: Management
This course focuses on how identification, intake, screening, disposition, and follow-up are used to mitigate youth firesetting behavior. Course content includes understanding the motivations behind youth firesetting and how the impact of adverse childhood experiences and behavioral/mental health changes can influence firesetting behaviors. This course is for the practitioner who provides services at the program delivery level.
Selection criteria
Students either have or will have responsibilities as the practitioner who provides services at the program delivery level. This includes the person who is responsible for the identification, intake, screening, educational intervention, follow-up and evaluation of the program services and results.
Students representing the fire service are encouraged to partner with other agencies for this training. Partners can include but are not limited to fire investigators, law enforcement, mental health, social services, juvenile justice or other stakeholders who can assist in building and maintaining programs in their communities.
Prerequisites: ICS-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online. Chief's signature attests that the applicant has completed this required training.
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/ax/pcm/BYOD_Instructions_0633.pdf
Curriculum – Fire Prevention: Management
This two-day course demonstrates to students nationally recognized principles that, when used appropriately, can lead to community risk-reduction programs that can measure success in local communities. This course will give students the opportunity to explore programs from communities across the United States that have been showcased at Vision 20/20 symposiums. These programs demonstrate what nationally recognized organizations identify as examples of “best practices” in community risk reduction.
Selection Criteria
- Fire and emergency services personnel who help develop and deliver fire prevention and community risk-reduction programs.
- Fire and emergency services staff with an interest in advancing risk-reduction efforts in their community.
- Allied health and community service personnel who help develop and deliver risk-reduction programs.
Prerequisites: ICS-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online. Chief's signature attests that the applicant has completed this required training.
There is a pre-course assignment that should take about one hour to complete.
https://nfa.usfa.fema.gov/ax/pcm/BYOD_Instructions_0635.pdf
Curriculum: Fire Prevention: Technical
This two-day course presents the supervisory with the basic leadership skills and tools needed to perform effectively in the fire service environment. The course includes concepts related to a successful transition to supervisory and leadership roles, including concepts of adaptive leadership; change management; active followership; effective communication, including difficult conversations and advocacy-inquiry based dialogue; ethics; authority; power; decision-making; and active engagement through development of a personal plan.
Selection Criteria
The primary target audience for this course are those individuals who are at the first line level of supervision. For purposes of student selection first line level is considered to be those at the Company Officer or Unit (fire prevention, fire education, communications, EMS, etc.) Supervisor level. More specifically primary selection criteria are as follows:
- First line supervisors in fire and emergency medical services organizations.
- Fire and emergency medical services personnel due for promotion/appointment to a first line supervisory position within 18 months.
- Fire and emergency medical services personnel who are regularly assigned acting supervisory positions.
- Fire and emergency medical services personnel currently enrolled in the NFA Managing Officer will be provided priority selection.
The secondary target audiences are fire and EMS personnel at the first line management level (Chief Officer or above). Students at this level may be given consideration on a space available basis.
Prerequisites: ICS-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online. Chief's signature attests that the applicant has completed this required training.
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
Curriculum: Fire Prevention: Technical
This two-day course will develop the managerial skills, administrative, and leadership skills necessary for the first-time fire chief and chief officer who desire a leadership position in their department. This course addresses critical knowledge and skills pertaining to the responsibilities of a fire chief.
Topics covered include:
- Local politics and the role of the chief officer.
- Liability and risk management.
- Resources and items of knowledge needed to become a first-time leader in a new position in his or her agency.
Selection criteria
The primary candidates for this course include new or emerging chief officers in a volunteer or combination fire department or emergency service organization.
The secondary candidates are new career chiefs, department leaders or emerging leaders of a fire department or emergency service organization.
This course is open to all interested emergency services personnel, including volunteer, career and allied professionals.
The class is intended primarily for those who have served or will begin to serve soon in leadership positions and who seek to learn more effective ways of managing and leading their agency.
Prerequisites: ICS-100-level and ICS-200-level training. Preferred courses are Q0462 and Q0463, available through NFA Online. Chief's signature attests that the applicant has completed this required training.
Student pre-course materials and course syllabus
Curriculum: Fire Investigation
This two-day course presents a basic overview of a fire investigation. Students will review the basics of fire chemistry and develop an enhanced understanding with respect to fire suppression and fire investigation. The course will stress the importance of fire scene awareness, evidence identification, preservation, and the basics of a fire investigation. Students will develop an appreciation of the convergence of suppression, investigation, science, and law.
Selection criteria
Fire and emergency services personnel who respond to fires or might conduct preliminary investigations into the origin and cause of fires.
Prerequisites: None
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
Curriculum: Fire Investigation
This course was developed to aid first responders in understanding and recognizing how fire can be used as a weapon against people and/or property. This course will also help first responders and investigators understand why a person would choose to use fire as a weapon, as well as creating awareness of the types of information fire investigators may need from fire and emergency services personnel.
Selection criteria
Fire and emergency services personnel who respond to fires or might conduct preliminary investigations into the origin and cause of fires.
Prerequisites: None but W0770 Fire Investigation: First Responder is recommended.
Pre-Course Materials & Course Syllabus
None
Registration Information
Online NFA Application (Link will be provided upon approval from the state in your email class confirmation.)
Contact Monna Gillespie via email at monna.gillespie@ncdoi.gov if you have any questions.