New standards proposed for Iowa firefighters

Iowa firefighters may soon face minimum training standards. The first of two public hearings on the proposed new standards is tomorrow (Thursday) at 10 AM in Ames. The State Fire Service and Emergency Response Council is recommending the new training standards, based on national standards. The standards would require all firefighters in the state to have a basic training course under their belts. Council chairman and Ames fire chief Clint Petersen says it should -not- mean new class work or field work for most of Iowa’s firefighters. Petersen says some fire departments and some new firefighters will have to take additional training to meet the new standards but “most of our state is well-protected already.” Iowa has about 20-thousand active firefighters, roughly 90-percent of them are volunteers. Another public hearing on the issue is scheduled for Monday, August 9th at 6 PM. It’ll be carried to 15 cities statewide via the Iowa Communications Network. It will be broadcast to sites in Ankeny, Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Creston, Emmetsburg, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Mason City, Ottumwa, Peosta, Sheldon, Sioux City, Waterloo and West Burlington. For more information, call the Fire Service Training Bureau at 888-469-2374.