Wisconsin Fire Service Education and Training

WTCS/National Fire Academy Direct Delivery Grant Course

The WTCS will be sponsoring these National Fire Academy Courses. The in-state courses will be hosted by the local Technical College.

Below are the dates and locations of the FY09 NFA Direct Delivery courses. The first six courses are being offered at the National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, MD (Wisconsin Weekend) and the three remaining courses will be offered in state. These dates are also posted at http://systemattic.wtcsystem.edu/fire. If you have any question about the WI Weekend please contact the Wisconsin Society of Fire Service Instructors.

COURSE SELECTIONS FOR FY09 2 DAY ON-CAMPUS AND 2 DAY OFF-CAMPUS
(October 1, 2008 – September 30, 2009)

Dates	Location	Course Title/Abbrev.	Co-Sponsor/Local Host/Remarks
Nov. 8-9, 2008	NETC Emmitsburg, MD	Command and Control of Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Operations for the Structural Chief Officer –CCWUIFOSCO -612	WI Weekend
Nov. 8-9, 2008	NETC Emmitsburg, MD	Executive Skills Series: Managing and Leading Change – ESS:MLC - 517	WI Weekend
Nov. 8-9, 2008	NETC Emmitsburg, MD	Incident Safety Officer – ISO – 729	WI Weekend
Nov. 8-9, 2008	NETC Emmitsburg, MD	Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Specialist JFIS I - 626	WI Weekend
Nov. 8-9, 2008	NETC Emmitsburg, MD	Preparation for Initial Company Operations – PICO - 458	WI Weekend
Nov. 8-9, 2008	NETC Emmitsburg, MD	Courtroom Preparation and Testimony for First Responders – CPTFR - 209	WI Weekend
Mar. 19-20, 2009	Stevens Point, Wisconsin	Incident Safety Officer -ISO - 729	Mid-State Technical College
Mar. 21-22, 2009	Rhinelander, Wisconsin	Training Operations in Small Departments – TOSD – 290	Nicolet Area Technical College
Aug. 14-15, 2009	Monroe, Wisconsin	Training Operations in Small Departments – TOSD – 290	Blackhawk Technical College

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Mutual Aid
By Steve Krause

MABAS is a mutual aid organization that has been in existence since the late 1960s. Heavily rooted throughout northern Illinois, MABAS includes over 550 member fire departments organized within 36 divisions. MABAS divisions geographically span an area from Lake Michigan to west of Rockford and south through Champaign-Urbana, Douglas County, and St. Clair County. Four Wisconsin divisions also share MABAS with their Illinois counterparts. Interest is also becoming evident from the Iowa, Indiana and St. Louis, Missouri bordering communities.

MABAS includes over 25,000 firefighters and daily staffed emergency response units including more than 750 fire stations, 867 engine companies, 269 ladder trucks, 594 ambulances (mostly paramedic capable), 136 heavy rescue squads, 123 light rescue squads, and 219 water tankers. Fire/EMS reserve (back-up) units account for more than 600 additional emergency vehicles.

MABAS also offers specialized operations teams for hazardous materials, underwater rescue/recovery and above grade/below grade, trench and building collapse rescues. An additional element of resource are the certified fire investigators which can be "packaged" as teams for larger incidents requiring complicated and time-consuming efforts for any single agency.

Within the State of Wisconsin there are 4 divisions, Kenosha, Racine, Walworth and Rock counties, and a number of other departments are presently looking into it.

MABAS is a unique organization in that every MABAS participant agency has signed the same contract with their 550 counterpart MABAS agencies. As a MABAS agency, you agree to: standards of operation, incident command, minimal equipment staffing, safety and on-scene terminology. MABAS agencies, regardless of their geopolitical origin, are able to work together seamlessly on any emergency scene. All MABAS agencies operate on a common radio frequency (NIFERN) and are activated for response through pre-designed "run" cards each participating agency designs and tailors to meet their local risk need. MABAS also provides mutual aid station coverage to a stricken community when their fire/EMS resources are committed to an incident for an extended period.

MABAS extra alarms are commanded by the stricken community and dispatch control is handled through the stricken community's MABAS division center. Over 700 MABAS extra alarm incidents occur annually throughout the 36 divisions of MABAS. The expansion of mutual aid to a statewide system doesn't require all municipalities and fire districts to join

MABAS as a member agency.
On a daily basis, communities face emergencies, which overtax their local fire/EMS and special operations capabilities. Often the "local" crisis doesn't warrant the state's Declaration of Disaster and its accompanying statutory powers. Without a Declaration of Disaster, statewide mutual aid cannot be activated, nor are the statutory powers in force for an assisting agency's reimbursement, liability and workmen's compensation coverage. When such cases exist, being a MABAS member agency affords irreplaceable benefits to a stricken community, regardless of where the community is located.

As a MABAS member agency, your community has the same agreement as the 550 other communities-all agreeing to send pre-determined resources, without reservation, to assist a stricken community. Without a formal written mutual aid agreement (such as MABAS), a request for mutual aid assistance becomes a voluntary act, putting the Fire Chief and his employing community who might send the resource, at great risk should equipment be damaged, or a firefighter is injured or killed in the line of duty.

Not too long ago all of us witnessed the Worcester tragedy where six firefighters lost their lives. A similar event took place in Keokuk, Iowa where four firefighters lost their lives in a house fire. Both of these departments were emotionally devastated and found their capabilities overwhelmed. Both relied on mutual aid to assist at the scene and provide coverage of their fire stations for days with mutual aid crews. Might a similar event strike your community? Remember neither of these events warranted a Declaration of Disaster through their county and/or state emergency management offices. Is your community prepared for such a tragedy?

To become a MABAS Division/agency, all that is required is a resolution or ordinance being enacted by the governing body and signing of the MABAS contract. Most MABAS agencies are comprised of a number of geographically co-located municipalities or districts. However, one community can also be its own MABAS division. The City of Chicago is MABAS Division IX (9). Some MABAS divisions have nearly 30 member departments or districts. All it takes is discussion, agreement and political commitment.

The Executive Board of MABAS routinely provides assistance to interest agencies. MABAS will provide any and all information to inquiring agencies including prepared ordinances, resolutions and the standard contract to communities who are seriously interested.

There is no cost to join MABAS and dues are self-imposed by and at the control of each individual MABAS division. The MABAS Executive Board meets quarterly and functions as a coordinating agency.

When crisis strikes a community, often costs are the last thing to be thought of. MABAS provides immediate resources at no cost under daily operations. How can a community afford not being part of MABAS?

Fire Chiefs may inquire about MABAS by contacting one of the members below:

Fire Chief Steven Krause Somers Fire Dept (262) 859-2277	Chief Paul Guilbert Pleasant Prairie Fire Dept (262) 694-6703
Chief William Bouma Mount Pleasant Fire Dept (262) 554-8812