We believe that training never ends for our emergency personnel. Our strategic training program incorporates aspects of any incident to which we could be called to respond. Through shift and company-level drills, lectures, and joint training with BPD and neighboring departments, we ensure that all of our members are prepared to provide the highest level of emergency care and service to the citizens of Burlington.
RECRUIT ACADEMY
All recruits complete an approximate 20-week academy with a progressive training style. Topics include fire ground operations, EMS, technical rescue, and apparatus driving. Recruits will receive instruction and knowledge that they will build on in future classes. For example, in one session, they will learn about specific knots, anchors, and equipment selection. Then we combine these systems for rope rescue, rappelling, packaging, and raising or lowering a patient.
Typically, each day begins with physical fitness training. Recruits will then have classroom instruction and hands-on training to learn and apply techniques learned in the classroom environment. Observational time is scheduled on both suppression and EMS units to give recruits a chance to get more comfortable with the trucks, equipment, and personnel they’ll soon be working with.
PROBATIONARY YEAR
Upon graduation from the academy, recruits will be sworn in as probationary members of the department and will receive their shift assignments. A Senior Firefighter will work with each probationary firefighter to guide them through continued training. Probationary firefighters will spend some of their shift time on ambulances to advance their EMS skills. Upon successfully completing probation, members will be sworn in as firefighters and may submit a request for their desired assignments.
ONGOING TRAINING
Shift training occurs every week. The BFD training program focuses on particular EMS and Fire skills with larger-scale scenarios to ensure the highest level of proficiency and application of these skills. The training schedule is typically staggered during a shift to allow units to remain in training while other units respond to calls.
Training Officer:
Troy Ruggles
Battalion Chief
132 North Avenue
Burlington, VT 05401
Ph: 802-658-1491
