Today at the semi-annual meeting for the Commission on Professional Credentialing at the Fire Rescue International conference in San Antonio, TX, Hartford Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director, Reginald D. Freeman was elected by his fellow Commissioners to serve as Chair for the Center for Public Safety Excellence’s, Commission on Professional Credentialing. The commission provides professional credentialing for fire and emergency services officers. As described by the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc., “this internationally-accepted model recognizes professional accomplishments and competence in fire and emergency services and offers fire and emergency service personnel career guidance and planning.” The Commission offers credentialing for:
- Chief Fire Officer (CFO) – Open to chief officers serving at or above the rank of Battalion Chief
- Chief EMS Officer (CEMSO) – Open to chief EMS officers with a minimum of 10 years emergency medical services field or system experience as an Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic, Registered Nurse, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, or Physician.
- Chief Training Officer (CTO) – Open to administrators of training programs in fire and emergency service agencies.
- Fire Marshal (FM) – Open to fire marshals or fire prevention officers having responsibility over a fire prevention bureau or management responsibilities over code enforcement, education, fire investigations, and engineering or other aspects of fire prevention programs.
- Fire Officer (FO) - Open to all junior officers, company officers or those who have served in an intermittent acting status for 12 months.
“I am honored to serve in the capacity of Chair for this exceptional commission” said Chief Freeman. He went on to state, “professional credentialing is absolutely critical to the overall advancement of the fire service by providing objective tenements that are systematically assessed on an individual basis.” Chief Freeman is the youngest and first minority to serve as Chair for the Commission on Professional Credentialing. Chief Freeman will attend his first Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. board meeting this Friday, August 19, 2016 as the new Chair during the Fire Rescue International conference in San Antonio,
Hate to be an a#%hole ,,,but the only way Chief Freeman can validate those admirable credentials in education is to see if he's smart enough not to allow dangerous and incompetent recent promotions to pass their probations and be a scourge on the fire department for years to come. Not all ,but some of the new drivers,Lt's,Captains and Chiefs could get people hurt or killed if the past practice of accepting everyone who passes the test to keep the position no matter what. Why have a probation process if your not going to utilize it?
ReplyDeleteThis is good news while HFD faces company closures, forced 52+ hour work weeks, and reductions in benefits bargained for in good faith? I wonder if potential new employees responding to this week's application announcement see the disconnect between labor and management. Sounds like there is a huge disconnect between fantasy and reality aka those sitting in an ivory tower on High Street and those delivering services in the street everyday. You can't polish a turd, Chief Freeman...
ReplyDeleteKevin, I'll try again with a comment. Am I supposed to believe that Chief Freeman is NOT going to utilize his,office,computer,(most importantly ,his TIME as a salaried employee),staff etc. with this recent position? Governor Malloy has been saddling the taxpayers for years with unnecessary expenditures while accepting his position as head of the democratic governors association. He travels with staff and security detail,"we" pay for flights,hotels,food and beverage. Malloy's last trip was to Orlando,the trip before that,Puerto Rico. Pessimisticly,I expect Chief Freeman to travel alone and also expect others to pay for his expenses. Personally,I don't get it! Just as i DO NOT consider Connecticut as a jewel amongst other states,,I also DO NOT consider the Hartford Fire Department to be the national model for others to follow. Chief Freeman is a good guy who deserved this recognition BUT got stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time for it. The poor guy has to be in charge of mentally ill firefighters,drivers and officers . I say this with confidence,GOD STRIKE ME DEAD IF IM LYING! I really wonder how he will offer sound advice to other departments.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about Freeman changing things. His track record is to quit when things don't go his way or get too tough.
ReplyDeleteIf there is one thing that Reggie is good at , it's creating a resume that makes it sound like you've actually done a job!
ReplyDeleteThe announcement is out for HFD recruits. Once again the residency requirement is in effect. Hartford is going to continue the tradition of hiring lazy, inept, stupid, out of shape, politically connected felons that it has been hiring the last 10 years or so. HFD just lost a ton of experienced guys/girls to retirement. That leaves very little experience still on the job. Now add in more of the trash that city hall has been hiring and you have a recipe for failure. Might I recommend SSU start recruiting at the homeless shelters and methadone clinics this time? Don't forget your yellow stickers! Albany Ave and Park St recruits from the last "recruitment drive" have been a disgrace, lets see if you can lower the bar some more.
ReplyDeleteKevin,it says on the top of every application that Hartford is an "equal opportunity employer" ,how can this be if they have a very specific provision that NOT ALL CAN ACHIEVE? Is this legal? 9:37 pm is spot on, I've said it before and I'll say it again ,,HFD's worst employees are either existing or former residents of Hartford. I can confidently state that most of HFD'S best employees have no previous ties to Hartford. Any other "brothers" agree with me?
ReplyDeleteIf they want to improve the Fire Department then open the application to non-residents and then you will have a truly better department. I do believe that minority's live outside of Hartford and we all know that is the main reason why they limit the applications to Hartford residents only.
ReplyDeleteTime to wake up