CFO and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater Announces New Training Partnership for Volunteer Firefighters with Florida State Fire College, Florida Fire Chiefs Association, Small County Coalition of Florida, and the Florida Association of Counties Trust
Jan 20, 2011
The Florida Department of Financial Services issued the following news release today, January 20, 2011:
CFO and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater Announces New Training Partnership for Volunteer Firefighters
Florida CFO and State Fire Marshal Jeff Atwater today joins with the Florida State Fire College, Florida Fire Chiefs Association, Small County Coalition of Florida, and the Florida Association of Counties Trust (FACT) to announce a partnership to provide a new training program and scholarship funding for volunteer firefighters in Florida.
The training will meet the minimum standards as required by Florida law and combine online and practical skill training components. FACT will present $16,000 in scholarship funds to the Fire College at a 1 p.m. ceremony today at the Fire Rescue EAST Trade Show in Daytona Beach to provide reimbursement for FACT counties who participate in the training.
“I applaud the Florida Association of Counties Trust for establishing this scholarship fund for volunteer firefighters in training, assuring our citizens are better protected and our firefighters have the training they need to work safely and go home every night,” said CFO Atwater. “The new combined training program will reduce training costs, which is very important during these difficult financial times, and help increase the number of trained volunteers.”
Reimbursement eligibility will be determined by FACT and a representative of the Florida Fire Chief Association’s Volunteer Fire Officers Section.
As Florida’s State Fire Marshal, CFO Atwater oversees the State Fire College, which is responsible for ensuring firefighters are trained according to state law. The College’s registration and records management website, www.floridastatefirecollege.org, allows firefighters to check their records, track continuing education, register for classes at the Florida State Fire College and other participating providers, apply for certification renewals, apply for certification tests and receive test results.