NFA LTE Report

NFA Long Term Evaluation Report
Course: R125-2

Number of Students= 24

Return Rates for this Offering

Executive Leadership
Session: 10/10/05 - 10/21/05

LTE Report Date: 11/3/06

Student: 79.2%

Supervisor: 83.3%

Pairs: 62.5%

Part I: Background Characteristics of Students

Gender

Years held current responsibilites

Highest level of education

Female
0%

57.9%

52.6%

36.8%

26.3%

21.1%

5.3%

Male
100%

0.0%

0.0%
High school
or less

Some
college

Years in fire/emergency services

AA degree

Bachelors
degree

Graduate
degree

Size of department

5 or less

6-15

16 or more

Percentage of career personnel in department

89.5%

77.8%
47.4%
21.1%

10.5%

21.1%

0.0%
5 or less

6-15

16 or more

50 or less

51-200

201-500

NFA resident courses previously taken:

Max: 11

Min: 3

Mean: 5.53

NFA field courses previously taken:

Max: 12

Min: 0

Mean: 4.73

Course Tracking #: R1256001

10.5%

501 or more

11.1%

25 or less

11.1%

26-75

76 or more

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Part II: Course Feedback
Percent of students/supervisors indicating that ...
100%

100%
84%

100%

95%

90%

95%

69%
47%

Student

Supervisor

Course has improved
student job performance

Student

Supervisor

Course has contributed
to student's prof. development

Student

Supervisor

Course has improved
performance of dept.

Student

44%

Supervisor

Course helped dept. address
problems in high-risk areas

47%

Student

44%

Supervisor

Student

Led to reduction in fire-related
risks within community

Supervisor

Would recommend this
course to others in dept.

Part III: Course Applications
Percent of students indicating they have applied training in...
Management process (Kast and Rosenwieg Model)

79%

Use of leadership effectiveness feedback from instruments

95%

Multiple roles (Mintzberg's Research regarding executive roles)

95%

Developing an influence plan; recognizing sources of power and influence

95%

Creativity (Valuing and developing varying approaches; use of KAI feedback)

95%
95%

Assessing organizational culture (Campbell Organization survey feedback)

100%

Decision-making skills (Use of Vroom-Yetton theory)

Labor relations (Applications from mock-negotiation exercise)

Use of self-assessment plan as integrating and goal setting activity

Legal and governmental issues (More informed about)
Course Tracking #: R1256001

74%
90%
95%

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Part IV: Perceived Training Impacts
Percent of students indicating ...

Percent of supervisors indicating…
100.0%

94.8%
84.3%

79.0%

75.0%

79.0%

68.4%

35.3%

course made
prevention ideas materials used to policies improved
them more safety incorporated in
develop policy
dept.
conscious
pub educ.
performance

attendee has
training benefits training prepared
trained other dept outweigh costs attendee for next
members
level

course met
expectations

Part V: Training Diffusion
Percent of students who...
100.0%

Means of sharing training information*
100.0%

formally in a
training class
informally, in a
group
informally, one on
one

have applied training on
the job

Course Tracking #: R1256001

shared training
information with
colleagues

21.1%

57.9%

68.4%

* Percentages may not add to 100% since not all respondents indicate their
means of sharing information. However, percentages may total more than
100%, since respondents are asked to mark all that apply.

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Student Comments
Please describe an incident or circumstance in which you applied your training from this NFA offering.
¾ Budget hearings--using influence of chief position to sway elected officials' decisions.
¾ Established new policies and procedures based on NFA templates.
¾ Recent officer training on my shift for newly promoted company officers.
¾ Offering informal management lectures to area fire department officers; added concepts into other training topics that I present.
¾ Applied concepts in the fire officer classes and supervisor classes I teach.
¾ Promoting professional development in my department.
¾ Improving community risk reduction.
¾ Dealing with people.
¾ Labor negotiations.
¾ Developing proposals with solutions.
¾ Presenting a training session on officer responsibilities.
¾ Help with developing a captain's test
¾ When presenting justification to politicians and public for fire stations project.
¾ The survey instruments show me I had a different view of myself than my peers. I have been open and shared this with my peers and made
many personal changes.
¾ Labor/management relations planting seeds of change politician navigation.
¾ Team and consensus building process leading to better decisions.

If you could change one thing to improve this training course, what would it be?
¾ Re-evaluate the Community Risk Reduction course and include budget issues as a part of a community's risk.
¾ Only three research papers and a completed project before the fourth class.
Course Tracking #:

R1256001

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¾ More chief officers and less company officers.
¾ Better pairing of instructor styles. Both were excellent; however, the class could sense difference of opinion that, at times, was evident.
¾ No recommendations.
¾ Allow more time for ARPs.
¾ Nothing.
¾ Allow non-EFO students to go ahead with paper.
¾ Nothing, excellent learning environment.
¾ The text, Winning EM Over, by Jay Conjer needed to go.
¾ Leading Community Risk Reduction course in the series needs to changed or substituted.
¾ Rewrite the fire prevention/risk reduction class. It was very confusing and little information was brought back and used.
¾ Have more interaction pre and post training with/through internet assignments so more class time can be interactive and discussions.
¾ Update the handouts and case studies--include more EMS material and issues.

What do you think are the new, emerging issues in the fire service field that should be the topics of future NFA training
classes?
¾ Technological advances in communications, training, daily administration.
¾ Consolidation efforts.
¾ Staffing reductions.
¾ Reduction of operational budgets.
¾ Regionalization of the fire service.
¾ Funding in alternative ways during slow economical times.
¾ Reduction of fire service budget and personnel--shifting the public need from suppression to other services.
¾ Marketing the local department to local governing bodies to ensure adequate resources and funding.
¾ Blending fire with other emergency services.
¾ Firefighter safety and risk reduction to firefighters.

Course Tracking #:

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¾ Political survival.
¾ Change management.
¾ Competing for dollars effectively.
¾ Preparing for growth.
¾ Developing mission/vision statements.
¾ Doing more with less; increasing efficiency with the new generation of firefighters.
¾ Keep up with growth and technology.
¾ WMD--terrorist in America.
¾ EMS Systems Management especially personnel management.
¾ EMS and fire customer service health reduction programs.
¾ Conflict and stress management.
¾ EMS management and deployment.

Finally, please add any comments you may have.
¾ Thank you for a wonderful four year experience in the EFO program. The faculty and staff were always helpful and interested in our success.
¾ It was challenging and very rewarding at the same time. An absolute must for chief officers.
¾ NFA needs to increase its population of instructors that reflect our country, women, and people of color. Twice, over the years, I have
commented, by way of course evaluations, of instructors related to this. A more diverse cadre of instructors could reveal a different side of fire
service needs and fire service management.
¾ Keep up this good work!
¾ Thank you!
¾ Loved the training; facility was nice. Trip to Gettysburg was great finish to class.
¾ Make the following two books required reading. [No books listed.] I used them in my last ARP and found them extremely useful. I wish I
would have had them for all the ARPs.
¾ Many fire departments now provide EMS and that is our largest percentage of calls (75 percent for my department). Need more training on
EMS issues regarding personnel management. Ethics is also missing. Ethical chief or director has become an oxymoron.
Course Tracking #:

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Supervisor Comments
What changes, if any, have you seen in the attendee as a result of having the NFA training experience?
¾ Attendee is an outstanding person with a vast array of talents. His utilizing his talents benefits our entire department and community each day.
¾ Displays a desire to continue education at the university level.
¾ Better prepared to handle people and situations that arise.
¾ The negative responses to this survey are not a reflection on the quality of NFA classes but on the performance of our member.
¾ Utilization of LRC for research and networking with other member from other fire departments.
¾ Attendee has more confidence with administrative duties. The EFO program has sharpened his skills.
¾ Anticipates issues or problems--more solution driven ideas.
¾ Professional increase in knowledge, skills and abilities as a leader, manager.
¾ Education is more important.
¾ Professional, enthusiasm.
¾ He is more aware of issues in the fire service.

Has the attendee proposed any organizational changes since the training? If so, please describe them.
¾ Many in fire prevention and public safety.
¾ Our total EMS system has been completely changed to provide effective and efficient delivery.
¾ Yes, realignment of his shift resulting in better usage of personnel.
¾ Yes; company officer professional growth and development.
¾ Attendee has been involved in setting up field training officer program through the professional development committee. Has vastly improved
rookie training.
¾ Yes, created an annual report to city council, enhancing revenue alternatives, implementing new fire prevention programs, restructuring
department administrative staff.
¾ Yes, in direct relation to employee/labor management issues.
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¾ He proposed and helped in re-organization for this department.
¾ Improved team building skills, better overall understanding of emergency services management.
¾ No organizational changes have been proposed.

Please tell us what you think are the new, emerging issues in the fire service field that should be topics of future NFA courses.
¾ Managing diversity, personnel management, and human resources.
¾ Regionalization: local officials have asked the fire chiefs to complete an analysis.
¾ Better usage of department with other municipal departments.
¾ Regionalization of fire services.
¾ Advanced medical.
¾ English composition course on strictly writing skills.
¾ Consolidation issues related to fire-EMS.
¾ Internal affairs class in handling discipline issues.
¾ Handling growth in the community, competing for funding with city departments.
¾ Incident command--terrorism.
¾ Homeland security.
¾ Disaster/emergency management.
¾ Being better prepared for large events.
¾ Less funding with increased costs.
¾ Disaster response and recovery.
¾ He has improved emergency use of thermal imaging cameras and improved ICS.
¾ The new emerging issue in the fire service is Homeland Security and the role of fire/emergency services.

Additional comments?

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¾ It had taken me a year to complete #3. (Regionalization: local officials have asked the fire chiefs to complete an analysis.) It is the future of the
fire service.
¾ Thank you.
¾ Recently the El Paso Fire Department has switched to hiring only pre-certified firefighters. This trend is gaining a wide acceptance in the fire
service. Budgets dictate change. NFA might look at addressing this issue.
¾ NFA is doing an excellent job preparing fire service leaders of the future.

Course Tracking #:

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