SUPPORT SERVICES AND TRAINING DIVISION

MISSION

"It is the mission of the Support Service Division to provide quality training, keep all apparatus in a constant state of readiness, and provide and maintain state of the art communications equipment. Further, we will strive to acquire equipment and protective clothing that will ensure the safety of our firefighters, allowing them to provide quality services to the citizens of and visitors to the City of Miami Beach."

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Trained 8 new recruits in March 2010.  
• Developed specifications and equipment inventories for 4 new Freightliner Rescue units, took delivery and placed into service in March 2009. 
• Completed lesson plan development for driver training program. 
• Reviewed and updated the recruit training manual with new programs to meet local and Federal changes in the Fire service.    

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• Maintain all fire apparatus in a high state of readiness. 
• Reduce on the job injuries by maintaining department- wide safety program. 
• Maintain a quality-training program to increase professionalism. 
• Continue to pursue funding for exhaust system for the Fire Shop with matching grant. 
• Work with Shop supervisor in ways to overcome the shortage of trained Emergency Vehicle Technician. E.V.T. mechanics. 
• Enhance service delivery and comply with OSHA mandates, ISO and NFPA Standards. 
• Recruit and direct new Weapons of Mass Destruction (W.M.D.) coordinator and assistant coordinator. This will facilitate meeting the required training to the awareness level for all fire department personnel. Provide training for all command staff to National Incident Management System (NIMS) 300,400 level.  
• Complete performance objectives and implement testing for high rise evolutions, hose evolutions and rescue drills to be performed by all departmental personnel.
• Will train personnel in use of large diameter hose, appliances and tactics to accomplish strategic goals, to include Mutual Aid training for inner-agency compatibility.     
• Will institute and conduct Driver/Engineer training for all Fire Fighter II personnel and a large portion of FFI personnel who will be acting above grade as required by staffing limitations.    
• Shall prepare and develop curriculum for new recruits slated for hire the following year.      
• Maintain adequate amounts of quality fire hose to meet ISO and NFPA Standards.
• Continue to work towards creating seamless radio and data interoperability with surrounding Fire Departments. Research and acquire funding for seventy (70) Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (S.C.B.As) to meet National Fire Protection Association (National Fire Protection Association 2007 compliance requirement. Four different manufactures; Scott, Mine Safety Appliances, Drager and Sperian were evaluated for ergonomics as well as performance during live burn building testing. Four months of in house testing with a broad spectrum of different gender and body structure were completed. In joint cooperation with other local Fire Departments information and data will be compiled and shared to enhance regional inner-agency collaboration. We will continue to work together in an effort to identify and select the most beneficial units for our specific needs. Matching grant funding may be available to offset budgetary impact of this capital investment.     
• Continue research and development of new light weight turnout gear and tools and equipment, incorporating upgrades and changes based on Safety Committee recommendations.
• Maintain a quality compressed breathing air program.
• Continue work on the new cad/fire records system.      
• Continue to direct the department participation in the South Florida urban search and rescue task force.
• Increase the fire department's service delivery by establishing a technical rescue capability.