The Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service Training and Development Centre shares a site with the Service's largest station at Stafford Park, Telford
Training and Development
The centre provides the annual modular training programme to all frontline staff, in particular the core subjects of breathing apparatus, compartment fire behaviour, road traffic collision procedures, trauma care, oxygen therapy, first aid and management development. These are delivered by our own staff and in partnership with other agencies where appropriate.
As a recognised Investor in People the Service believes that the development of its staff is vital if it is to continue to provide a quality service to the people of Shropshire. Key to this development is to ensure the competence and effectiveness of our managers.
Management and development programmes have been running for a number of years providing underpinning knowledge for such skills as Team Development, Managing People and Processes, and Occupational Competence. As an Approved Centre for National Vocational Qualifications we qualify managers and their staff in a range of recognized qualifications including Operations in the community, Training and Development, Management, Administration and Call Handling.
The Training Instructor Team also carries out driving instruction and competence assessment against National standards.
Realistic Fire Training
The Fire Authority of Shropshire and Wrekin has provided the Service with resources to develop a range of realistic training facilities throughout the County.
A number of simulated domestic / small industrial complexes have been built at strategic locations around the County. These satellite Training Centres allow us to hold operational exercises and training for Retained Duty Firefighters close to their home station. The satellite Training Centres also have Road Traffic Collision training facilities that allow operational staff to practice the 'Team Approach' philosophy, ensuring standard procedures are adopted at all incidents.
"Hot fire" exercises, designed to assess the competence of crews in incident command and firefighting skills, are held at the Centre throughout the year, providing essential realistic experience for all operational crews and an opportunity for regular competence assessment and assurance.
Over the past four years the Service has successfully trained all operational staff in the practical skills required to deal safely and effectively with rapidly spreading fires in compartments. Compartment Fire Training has now become part of the routine core training programme.
The Service's commitment to compartment fire training has placed it at the forefront of development in this important area. In continuing to reduce the risk to fire-fighters the Service has now developed Tactical Compartment Fire Training, by learning from the experience of many other Fire and Rescue Services in the UK, including Gloucestershire and Devon and internationally, notably Sweden.
The Shropshire 'H' Tactical Unit is now used to provide initial tactical procedures and techniques training for recruits and refresher training/assessment for all operational staff.
The new training unit is also designed to enable students to practise both mechanical and manual ventilation of fire compartments.
