Mission

Vision

Core Values

Excellence –We seek excellence in all endeavors, and we are committed to continuous improvement.

Intellectual Freedom – We believe in ethical and scholarly questioning in an environment that respects the rights of all to freely pursue knowledge.

Integrity – We are committed to the principles of truth and honesty, and we will be equitable, ethical, and professional.

Service – We believe that serving others is a noble and worthy endeavor.

Diversity – We respect others and value diversity of opinion, freedom of expression, and other ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Stewardship of Resources - We are dedicated to the efficient and effective use of resources. We accept the responsibility of the public’s trust and are accountable for our actions.

Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives, and Strategies

Goal 1. Funding – Determine a reliable funding source and coordinating agency for State allocated funds for Oklahoma Fire Service Training.

Critical Success Factors:

• Meet with representatives from the 4 key Oklahoma Fire Service organizations and determine the service expectations of the Oklahoma Fire Service by January 1, 2004.
• Benchmark leading state fire training agencies, i.e., Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, Louisiana Fire and Emergency Institute, and Texas Emergency Services Institute and provide a list of best funding mechanisms to Oklahoma Fire Service officials by January 1, 2004.
• Provide feedback, as requested, to 4 key Oklahoma Fire Service organizations by January 1, 2004.
• Recognize grant research as a major OSU-FST job function and assign or hire 1 employee by January 1, 2005.

Objectives:

• Re-establish contact with former military customers.
• Identify product needs i.e., curriculum, certification testing.
• Develop product.
• Market product.

• The Oklahoma Fire Service will draft legislative language and submit for consideration.

Goal 2. Service Delivery - Enhance to meet the needs of Oklahoma Fire Service Training customers.

Critical Success Factors:

• Purchase 1 additional tow vehicle.
• Hire 1 additional full-time Professional Skills Center staff member to support mobile training operations by January 1, 2005.
• Identify, recruit, hire, and develop 25 additional high caliber Oklahoma emergency responders as part-time instructors/evaluators by July 1, 2005.
• Hire 6 skilled Program Coordinators that are proficient in curriculum development by July 1, 2005.
• Install fuel separator and retention lagoon by July 1, 2005.
• Acquire at least $1.4 M State appropriated funding to support current needs by July 1, 2004.

Objectives:

• Conduct a needs analysis for new and innovative mobile training props.
• Acquire funds to build/purchase additional training props.
• Build or purchase additional training props.
• Acquire adequate funding for the delivery of quality field training.

• Identify OSU-FST curriculum/methodology model.
• Match professional standards certification instruments to curriculum delivery methods.
• Update all curriculums to meet current adopted standards and industry advancements.

• Determine additional fixed training props needed for fire service and industry.
• Determine facility needs, i.e. classrooms, apparatus/equipment storage, etc.

• Revise job descriptions and gain approval to offer salary that will attract qualified applicants.
• Advertise positions in a manner that attracts qualified applicants.
• Conduct a rigorous assessment and hiring process.
• Hire.

Goal 3. Communications and Promotional Package – Develop and implement to enhance internal and external performance and clarify messages.

Critical Success Factors:

• Identify staff member and assign OSU-FST Public Information Officer responsibility by July 1, 2004.
• Acquire required funding for OSU-FST Public Information Officer by July 1, 2005.
• Identify responsible contributors and establish deadlines for material to be submitted for OSU-FST events bulletin by January 1, 2005.
• Establish schedule for publication of events bulletin by September 2005.
• Determine quarterly dates for staff meetings by July 1, 2004.

• Determine best qualified staff member and assign responsibility.

• Determine internal communications needs.
• Determine external communications needs.
• Determine required communication mediums.
• Determine events bulletin publication format.
• Publish.

• Develop job description.
• Revise job descriptions and gain approval to offer salary that will attract qualified applicants.
• Advertise positions in a manner that attracts qualified applicants.
• Conduct a rigorous assessment and hiring process.
• Hire.

• Incorporate strategic goals and objectives into quarterly meetings’ agenda.
• Meet quarterly.

Goal 4. Oklahoma and National Fire Organizations – Maintain and strengthen political contacts.

Critical Success Factors:

• OSU-FST representative attends each Oklahoma Fire Service organization meeting.
• Determine a prioritized list of 7-9 key stakeholder organizations for OSU-FST Advisory Board membership by January 1, 2004.
• Determine OSU-FST advisory board/commission makeup, responsibilities, and purpose by January 1, 2004.
• Established OSU-FST Advisory Council by January 1, 2005

• Identify communication and coordination opportunities applicable to each organization.
• Assure that an OSU-FST representative/s attends all Oklahoma Fire Service organizations’ meetings.

• Obtain recommendations for commission members from key stakeholders.
• Select advisory board/commission members.
• OSU-FST Advisory Board recommends training and enhancements/funding to Fire Service Training Director and Oklahoma Legislature.

• Develop a prioritized list of State and National organizations that Fire Service Training should join.
• Obtain necessary funding for membership and participation in identified State and National organizations.
• Join organizations.
• Participate in organizations.

Goal 5. Fiscal, Administrative, and Program Effectiveness – Enhance Oklahoma Fire Service Training internally and externally.

Critical Success Factors:

• Identify primary OSU-FST function areas by May 31, 2004.
• Assign cost center coding within the budgeting process by May 31, 2004.
• Provide budget information to each staff member responsible for a cost center July 1, 2004.
• Oklahoma Fire Service training records database transitions from manual system to computerized system by January 1, 2005.
• Develop standard formats for syllabus, lesson plans, media presentations, testing instruments, student manuals, and study guides by July 1, 2005.
• Provide written guidelines to OSU-FST program coordinators for using standardized formats by July 1, 2005.
• Establish a transition process for new and current curriculum by July 1, 2005.

• Determine primary program areas.
• Assign accounting codes.
• Determine budget allocations for each cost center.
• Staff members are accountable for their cost center budget allocation.

• Determine training records maintained by OSU-FST.
• Determine the most appropriate data base system.
• Determine training demographics to capture.
• Ensure security of training information recorded.
• Ensure training records database is compatible with State and National Credentialing systems.
• Establish a transition process and timelines to be met.
• Provide training records database system training for staff.
• Implement computerized training database in parallel with current manual recording system.
• Provide effective output demographic information to internal and external decision makers.

• Research curriculum development plans for effectiveness.
• Choose curriculum development plan.
• Ensure that curriculum matches certification testing.
• All curriculum is based on standardized format for consistency.

Goal 6. Recognition – Recognized by emergency response agencies as the Oklahoma Department of Fire Service Training.

Critical Success Factors:

• Determine fire-training props to be developed by January 1, 2005.
• Acquire funding for new fire-training props by July 1, 2005.
• Establish written guidelines for use and to ensure safety by July 1, 2005.
• Construct new fire-training props by July 1, 2006.
• Train instructors and staff in proper use of new fire-training props by July 1, 2006.
• IFSAC accredited certification test banks and skill sheets will be current September 1, 2007.
• IFSAC Accreditation Policies and Procedures will be complied with at all times. Submit application for ProBoard accreditation for all technical levels currently accredited by IFSAC by January 1, 2004.
• Schedule ProBoard accreditation site visit by January 1, 2005.
• Obtain ProBoard accreditation by July 1, 2005.
• Identify and designate staff member primary job responsibility for grant research by January 1, 2005.
• Hire additional 6 program coordinators by January 1, 2005.

• Acquire funds to build/purchase additional training props.
• Build or purchase additional training props according to specifications.

• Use “Oklahoma Fire Service Training at Oklahoma State University” when referring to the organization.
• Educate constituents that, by State Statute, Oklahoma Fire Service Training is Oklahoma’s Department of Fire Service Training.

• Assure that all technical level certification testing meets National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
• Update all technical level testing processes as NFPA standards are revised.
• Assemble all ProBoard application materials.
• Submit application for ProBoard site visit.
• Gain ProBoard accreditation.

• Assign grant coordinator.
• Identify grant opportunities.
• Submit grant proposals for consideration.

• Identify the “best practice” for reaching the intended service recipient.
• Identify and cooperate with intended service recipient organizations.
• Gain knowledge of, and understand the needs of Oklahoma stakeholders/organizations.
• Fire Service Training representatives attend stakeholder meetings for feedback.
• Partner with other stakeholder organizations to maximize efforts and use of funding.
• Deliver more programs statewide.