Citizen's Fire Academy: Overview

Sioux City Fire Rescue Citizen's Fire Academy (CFA) is open to any persons 18 or older. This 9-week program includes approximately 30 hours of instruction. Sessions are approximately 3 1/2 hours in length and held at Fire Station #3, 2630 3rd Street, Sioux City, IA. Class size will be limited to 12 students. Some classes will also be held at various locations depending on the specific topic of the class. The academy concludes with a graduation dinner.

Objectives:

Designed for adults to learn more about how the fire department is organized and operates. The CFA hopes to better inform the residents of Sioux City as to the purpose and inner workings of the Sioux City Fire Rescue and discover what diverse services the Fire Department offers our community. The CFA also encourages citizens to return to their neighborhoods and relay to their friends and neighbors the proper procedures to use to become more safety conscious citizens. The CFA will provide an interactive forum for both the Fire Department and the citizens to share information.

Anticipated Benefits:

• The opportunity to be able to react in a positive manner should some type of fire or other emergencies arise
• An increased awareness and knowledge to keep your home and workplace accident free
• A better understanding of why and how the Fire Department conducts itself in an emergency
• The opportunity to interact and address community concerns relative to the Fire Department
• The opportunity to experience the job of your firefighters and understand the service they provide to our community
• The opportunity to observe Communication/Dispatch Center

Topics:

Some topics covered during Sioux City Fire Rescue’s CFA will be, but are not limited to: CFA General Information, Overview of Sioux City Fire Rescue, Bunker Gear Demonstration, SCBA Demonstration, Motor Vehicle Extrication and fire, Public Fire and Life Safety Education, Technical Rescue Team Demonstration, Fire Scene Operations, Home Fire Safety / Fire Extinguisher training, and CPR certification.

Instructors: All class instructors are members of Sioux City Fire Rescue and are committed to providing appropriate and accurate information to all participants in the CFA. All instructors are State of Iowa Certified Firefighters or Certified in their field of expertise. Members of the department will assist in many of the hands-on drills.

It is imperative for the participants to realize that the Citizens Fire Academy is a learning experience to help them better understand and handle themselves in emergency situations. It is not intended to train them as firefighters or to assist at an emergency scene.

Measuring the Academy's Success: In order to keep the CFA informative and interesting, participants are encouraged to critique the program throughout its entirety. Enhancements to the program will be implemented as a result of the feedback received from the participants. Students are encouraged, but not mandated, to participate in all practical demonstrations and to interact with the instructors and one another.

SAFETY is of the utmost concern to all participants of Sioux City Fire Rescue CFA. All practical exercises will be considered optional for any member wishing to not participate in a particular drill. The CFA participants will be using self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), Firefighter bunker gear, extrication equipment and firefighting hand and power tools. Participants may also be moving weighted objects in excess of 100 pounds, climbing ladders, operating fire hoses, exposed to heights, live fire and elevated temperatures. All practical exercises during the CFA will be supervised and monitored by firefighters of Sioux City Fire Rescue. A medical physical is not required; however, any persons that may possess any physical ailments that may interfere with these activities, such as respiratory ailments such as asthma or similar conditions, or previous back or joint injuries, should consult their physician before participating in Sioux City Fire Rescue’s CFA.

NEXT ACADEMY

Dates: The application period for the next academy is scheduled to open in Summer 2024.  Sessions will be held on Thursday of each week from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Station #3.

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