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If the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy is indeed the “Academy on Wheels”, as it is respectfully known around the Utah fire service, then Alan Joos is in charge of the test track.  That is, he makes sure it is hitting on all cylinders through testing, evaluation and certification of the fire service professionals who avail themselves of the services of the academy. 

Alan, a member of the Proboard’s COA and Advisory Committee, is the Assistant Director in charge of certification for the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy. Like many of us, Alan came to fire service training through that glorious portal of being a line firefighter.  He started as a volunteer in 1985 with the Clearfield Utah Fire Department.  A year later he was on the payroll as a full time career firefighter.  Does any of this sound familiar to anyone?

The Clearfield Fire Department, where Alan started his career, provided fire protection, medical response and other associated services to a mostly suburban and industrial area.  During the next ten years, Alan was promoted to Shift Officer with responsibility for departmental training. His dedication and talent did not go unnoticed outside the department, and in 1995 he was offered the job of Certification Coordinator for the Utah Fire Rescue Academy located on the campus of Utah Valley State College.  He, of course, struggled with the decision, as accepting the position meant giving up give up that lucrative shift schedule where you work 24 hours and are off for two months - or something like that. Needless to say, he took the position and the Utah fire service has benefited ever since.

Alan and his wife Carla have three sons. Nathan (21) who is about to start a nursing school program, Jordan who is deceased and Dallan (14).  Alan continues to keep up his skills by volunteering as an EMT and training coordinator with the Payson Fire and Rescue, in Payson, UT.

The Utah Fire and Rescue Academy is accredited for 23 levels of certification.  In December 2004 the Board of Regents of the State of Utah approved an application by Utah Valley State College to create an Institute of Emergency Services and Homeland security of which the Fire and Rescue Academy will be a part.  Alan assures me that it will mean no operational changes in the certification program and in the long run, the Institute will enhance the certification program.

So, you may be asking, what is this “Academy on Wheels” all about? As it turns out, because of the population demographics, geographical distance, available resources and other issues, the academy took a creative approach meeting the training needs of the state’s fire service.  They have six mobile training units and several support trailers that are also used for skills evaluations in the certification program.  There are two flashover simulators, two initial fire attack props and two Fire Evolutions and Skills Trainers (FEASTs).  The FEASTs are double wide mobile units pulled by two tractor trucks containing facilities and props to evaluate all of the FFI & FFII skills.  They are also used for training and can actually facilitate live burns. Thus - "The Academy on Wheels"

Many thanks to Alan for taking the time to share his world with us and for his work in certification of fire service professionals.