In-service training for firefighting training examiners and firefighting training exam chairpersons
Well-trained and certified examiners and exam chairpersons are important in the organisation of firefighting training courses. In order to ensure that all fire professionals can perform their work well and safely, the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department (BKCN) invests a considerable amount of time and money in the professional competence of its staff. Organising and administering examinations which meet all prescribed quality standards is part of this.
Examiners and exam chairpersons for firefighting training courses received in-service training and were examined during the week of 4th thru 8 April. The week took place on Bonaire and was organised by BKCN in cooperation with the Fire Academy of the Instituut Fysieke Veiligheid [IFV; Netherlands Institute for Safety]. The IVF bears legal responsibility for the quality of all firefighting training courses within the Caribbean Netherlands and the European Netherlands. Apart from participants of BKCN itself, there also were participants from Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. During the week all exams for the Fire Department’s repressive training courses up to officers level were discussed. Because BKCN is not only responsible for regular firefighting duties but also for the firefighting duties at the three airports, the ‘Airplane Firefighting” training course was also part of the programme.
During the aforementioned week attention was paid to the current exam format and the methods of examining within the fire departments as well as personal knowledge and skills which are required to be able to perform the role and duties of the examiner and exam chairperson well. This involved objective observation, correct interpretation and registration of points on the exam forms, giving proper feedback to exam candidates, drafting exam scenarios which meet the proper focal points and it involved the general organisation during the firefighting exam. The content and the examination components of the firefighting training courses concerned were discussed as well. These differ per training course. Subsequently, the participants organised and performed mock exams, during which the knowledge and skills were practised. The week was concluded with several practical examinations for all examiners and exam chairpersons.
It is important that BKCN and the CAS countries (Curacao, Aruba, St. Maarten) have their own certified examiners and exam chairpersons because the local firefighting situation differs from that of the European Netherlands on some points. The quality and level of the examiners and exam chairpersons are equal to that of the European Netherlands. However, the (in-service) training has been adjusted to the local situation. Cooperation with the CAS countries is important because in case of practical examinations, the examination board always comprises people from various countries. This is to prevent that the examiners and participants are too close to each other. Within BKCN the focus is on well-trained and qualified firefighting staff. Completing qualitatively good and objective exams contributes to this.
In order to be able to administer firefighting exams, examiners and chairpersons should be accredited by the IFV. Periodical in-service training and recertification are part thereof. A number of the participants attended a similar in-service training on St. Maarten in 2013. This in-service training regarded a limited number of firefighting training courses. As a result of the current in-service training, BKCN and the CAS countries have a larger group of examiners and exam chairpersons which are qualified to administer all exams for repressive firefighting training courses up to officer’s level.