Take Advantage of FREE Fire and Emergency Service Training
June 28, 2022
Training opportunities are the most requested resource from National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) members. To help volunteer fire and emergency services personnel get the training they need, below is a list of some of the resources for free training that is available.
NVFC Virtual Classroom: The NVFC offers dozens of online courses covering a range of fire and emergency service topics, such as health, safety, leadership, recruitment, retention, public education, and more. All courses are free to NVFC members, and select courses are free to all for a limited time. The current courses available for free are:
- Addressing Substance Abuse, PTSD, and Other Concerns in the Fire Service
- Creating a Psychologically Healthy Fire Department
- Electric Vehicle Safety: An Awareness Level Training
- For Those Who Love a First Responder
- Pipeline Response PREP: Achieving Organizational Readiness for Pipeline Emergencies
- Obesity in the Fire Service
- Planning and Implementing a Training Program
- Wildland Fire Assessment Program
CSU Scholarship: Columbia Southern University annually offers a scholarship to two NVFC members. The 2022 application period is currently open. Each scholarship covers up to 60 credit hours towards any one of CSU’s online degree programs.
NVFC Train Strong Webinars: The NVFC hosts a monthly live webinar series covering a variety of topics of importance to the fire and emergency services.
Culture Guide: The NVFC textbook Volunteer Fire Service Culture: Essential Strategies for Success is designed to train department members and leaders about key issues relating to health and safety and how to embrace healthy and safe practices in all areas of department operations and culture. It is free to download.
Recruitment & Retention Experience: The NVFC is hosting an educational conference in Mesa, AZ, September 16-17 focusing on critical issues relating to volunteer staffing. Stipends are available to cover the conference registration fee and help offset travel expenses.
Health & Safety Training Summit: Pre-registration is now open for the NVFC’s next Training Summit, which will take place June 23-24 in Oklahoma City, OK, and focus on educational sessions relating to volunteer responder health, safety, and leadership. Stipends will be available to cover the conference registration fee and help offset travel expenses.
NFA Volunteer Incentive Program: All online, in-person, and regional courses through the National Fire Academy are free of charge to firefighters and emergency personnel, but the Volunteer Incentive Program is a free, six-day educational opportunity specifically designed for members of volunteer and combination fire departments.
UL Fire Safety Research Institute: The FSRI Fire Safety Academy provides free science-based courses for fire and emergency personnel on topics such as fire dynamics, firefighting tactics, and firefighter health.
Responder Safety Learning Network: This online learning platform from the Emergency Responder Safety Institute contains over 40 free training programs relating to safe roadway operations, as well as a National Traffic Incident Management Training Certificate program.
TRANSCAER Training Courses: TRANSCAER offers both in-person and online hazmat training courses for emergency responders and community leaders.
Vector Solutions: Vector Solutions offers more than 450 hours of firefighter continuing education training based on NFPA codes and standards. NVFC members can take select courses for free.
IAAI Training Programs: The International Association of Arson Investigators has dozens of free online training programs available, including the Fire Investigation for Fire Officers certificate program.
