Kent FRS personnel participating in award winning training programme
19.10.09
Following recognition at a regional level, the Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has now scooped the national level category National Training Award for Large Employers for its Incident Command Training which gives officers the skills and expertise to deal with major emergencies.
As part of the “large employers” category KFRS saw off stiff competition from companies including Virgin Group, Vodafone and BT.
KFRS’s Area Manager for Training, Paul Flaherty said: “It is testimony to the innovation, creativity and professionalism of all the staff at training centre who, regardless of their section, participate in the delivery of our command training.”
Nick Bennett, a member of Kent FRS's award winning training team
“KFRS remains the south east region’s centre of excellence for incident command training and this award further enhances this status. It is evidence to the Kent and Medway community that our firefighters are receiving top-level training.”
Incident Command Training is held at KFRS’s centre in Maidstone and is aimed at all levels of fire and rescue service commander.
To date, all of Kent’s commanders have been through the programme with an additional 150 ready to step into a command role. Each programme is externally accredited to the Institute of Leadership and Management.
Simulated fireground incident within Tactical Command Trainer system used by Kent FRS
Several other UK Fire and Rescue Services have also been sending their commanders onto the programmes. The courses provide sound theoretical input, backed up by state-of-the-art simulated incidents, using the VectorCommand Tactical Command Trainer technology, as well as a dedicated group of incident command trainers. Kent FRS’s award entry submission was entitled: ‘Developing the competence of fire and rescue service incident commanders throughout the UK’.
The National Training Award is a not-for-profit organisation which champions skills and learning for work through competitions and awards. They do this on behalf of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. They are the most prestigious awards for training in the UK.
Kent FRS will receive both its South East regional award and national award at the National Training Awards ceremony in London on December 10. It will also be eligible to receive the overall winner’s award being announced at the ceremony.
