Firefighter Training Programs

The Monroe County Office of Emergency Management would like to share an upcoming informational event being presented by the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General regarding Best Practices for Volunteer Fire Relief Associations (VFRAs).

This event provides an excellent opportunity for volunteer fire relief association officers, fire department leadership, and members involved in the administration of relief association funds to gain valuable insight into best practices, responsibilities, and organizational operations.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from state officials, ask questions, receive a VFRA guide, and network with representatives from neighboring relief associations.

Featured Speakers Include:

Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor

State Representative Jack Rader

Chief Counsel Steve Matthes

Bureau of Fire Audits Director Michelle Buskey

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: Jackson Volunteer Fire Company

2176 Route 715

Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Registration Information:

RSVP is required. Interested individuals must RSVP by calling 570-620-4341.

We strongly encourage fire department officers, relief association trustees, treasurers, and other individuals involved in managing VFRA operations to consider attending this informative session.

Understanding the responsibilities and expectations associated with volunteer fire relief associations is essential to maintaining transparency, accountability, and compliance with applicable requirements.

Location:

Monroe County Public Safety Center 100 Gypsum Rd., Stroudsburg PA 18360

Dates:

October 16-18, October 30-November 1, November 6-8, November 13-15

The Monroe County Office of Emergency Management, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for our 2026 Hazardous Materials Technician Course.

This comprehensive program is designed for emergency responders seeking to enhance their hazardous materials response capabilities. Upon successful completion of the course, students will have the opportunity to participate in Pro Board/IFSAC certification testing, providing them with nationally recognized certification.

Important Registration Information:

All students must register through the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy's ACADIS Portal. Registration will not be accepted through the Monroe County Office of Emergency Management.

www.psfa.acadisonline.com

We encourage interested personnel to register as early as possible, as class size is limited and seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Course Dates: October 25 & November 1, 2026

Time: 0800–1630

Course Length: 16 Hours

Location: Monroe County Public Safety Center

100 Gypsum Road

Stroudsburg, PA 18360

This course will introduce students to the basic duties and responsibilities of a truck company, including hand and power tool operations, search and rescue, ventilation, and truck company support of engine company operations.

Prerequisites:

Participants must be 18 years of age or older and have completed Interior Firefighter (ELIF), Bucks Basic Academy, or Firefighter I.

Registration Deadline: October 21, 2026

Cost: $30.00 for out-of-county students

If you were interested in attending when this course was originally offered, we encourage you to take advantage of this new opportunity to register.

To register or for additional information, please contact Bill Edinger at Wedinger@monroecountypa.gov.

The Coolbaugh Township Fire Academy, in partnership with P&D Emergency Services, will be sponsoring an Autism Awareness for First Responders training session presented by First Due Autism Training.

This important training is designed to provide emergency responders with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively recognize, communicate with, and assist individuals with autism during emergency situations.

Training topics will include:

Recognizing early indicators and characteristics of autism.

Effective communication strategies when interacting with individuals with autism.

Best practices for responding to individuals with autism during emergency situations.

Improving responder awareness, understanding, and decision-making.

Providing compassionate, informed care while maintaining the safety of everyone involved.

Training Information:

Date: Monday, November 2, 2026

Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Location: Coolbaugh Township Fire Department

652 Laurel Drive

Tobyhanna, PA 18466

Who Should Attend: This training is open to all 911 dispatchers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and law enforcement officers.

Registration/RSVP: Please RSVP directly to George Dobson at GeorgeRDobson@gmail.com.

As first responders, we encounter individuals from all backgrounds and with varying needs. Understanding how to recognize and appropriately respond to individuals with autism can make a significant difference in the outcome of an emergency.

We strongly encourage personnel from all public safety disciplines to take advantage of this valuable training opportunity.

This 16-hour course is designed for firefighters looking to apply and refine their knowledge and skills in truck company operations. Topics covered will include vehicle placement, forcible entry, search and rescue, aerial operations, building construction, fire travel, and ventilation.

Course Information:

Dates: November 7–8, 2026

Times: 0800–1630 hours

Course Length: 16 hours

Location: Monroe County Public Safety Center, 100 Gypsum Road, Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years of age or older and have completed Truck Company Operations I

Class Size: Limited to 30 students

Out-of-County Cost: $30.00

Registration Deadline: October 24, 2026, or until the class is full

Anyone interested in attending should contact Bill Edinger at wedinger@monroecountypa.gov to register.

Seats are limited, so please register early if you are interested in attending.

Dates: November 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, and 22, 2026

Times: Weeknights 1800–2230 hrs | Weekends 0800–1630 hrs

Duration: 40 Hours

Instructor: William Weimer

Registration Deadline: November 5, 2026

This course builds upon foundational firefighting skills and focuses on advanced fire suppression techniques, flammable liquid and gas fires, coordinated fireground operations, incident command, pre-incident planning, and public fire safety education.

Prerequisites:

Minimum age of 18

EL-26 Firefighter I Training

Basic Vehicle Rescue Training

Important Certification Update: Firefighters who already hold Firefighter I certification and wish to pursue Firefighter II certification must now complete this training course before testing. NFPA Firefighter I certification must also be completed prior to taking the Firefighter II certification examination.

Cost: $30.00 for out-of-county students

Dates: November 9th ,10th ,11th, 2026

Times: Weekdays: 0800-1630

Hours: 24.0 (Lecture: 11.0hrs / Lab: 13.0hrs)

Prerequisites: Age 16 and up, ICS – 200, or NIMS ICS for the Fire Service, or NIMS ICS for Emergency Medical Service

Description: This course is designed to provide overall incident management skills rather than tactical expertise. The course will cover the implementation of the incident management process on Type 3 incidents; define a Type 3 incident, and the development of an Incident Action Plan. Determining capabilities to match Incident complexity will be discussed. When and how to add appropriate ICS positions to match the complexity of the incident will be explored. The use of Incident Management Teams will be discussed.

Registration Deadline: 11/01/2026

Course Location: Monroe County Public Safety Center

100 Gypsum Road

Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Cost: $30.00 out of County

To Register Contact Bill Edinger

570-992-4113 or email: Wedinger@monroecountypa.gov

Dates: November 12th, 13th, 2026

Times: Weekdays: 0800-1630

Hours: 16.0 (Lecture: 7.5hrs / Lab: 8.5hrs)

Prerequisites: Age 16 and up, ICS – 300

Description: This course is designed to provide overall incident management skills rather than tactical expertise. This course will discuss how major incidents pose special management challenges. It will explore the circumstances in which an Area Command is established and describes the circumstances in which multi-agency coordination systems are established. This course is designed for senior personnel who are expected to perform in a management capacity in an Area Command or multi-agency

coordination system.

Registration Deadline 11/01/2026

Course Location: Monroe County Public Safety Center

100 Gypsum Road

Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Cost: $30.00 out of County

To Register Contact Bill Edinger

570-992-4113 or email: Wedinger@monroecountypa.gov

Dates: November 17th and 18th, 2026

Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Location: Monroe County Public Safety Center - 100 Gypsum Rd., Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Disaster Management for Electric Power Systems course is designed to provide training to electric power systems managers and employees to prevent, protect and mitigate against, respond to, and recover from threatened or actual natural disasters, human-caused, and technological disasters affecting electric power facilities and systems. The National Infrastructure Protection Plan identified electric power systems as critical infrastructure (CI). The interdependencies between the electric and other CI sectors, necessitate a common understanding by electric system stakeholders of the electric sector impacts and ways to improve resiliency.

Topics:

• Overview of Electric Power Systems
• Threats to Electric Power Facilities and
• Systems
• Disaster Preparedness and Planning
• Disaster Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response and Recovery

Participant Audience:

• Emergency Management, Public Works Management, Utility Management
• Power Providers, Water Authorities, Utilities and Public Works Personnel
• Health Care and Hospital Management, Public Health Officials
• Local Emergency Personnel, Emergency Planning Directors & Managers, Emergency Preparedness Planning Personnel
• City Planning, Urban Development, Private Sector Stake holders

Registration is free!

Contact: Rob Castner

Phone: 570.877.4082

Email cas@norcopa.gov

The Monroe County Community Partnership for Gun Safety would like to invite all Monroe County first responders to attend an upcoming Firearms Safety Training session.

This training session is being offered exclusively to Monroe County first responders and is intended to provide valuable education on firearm safety, responsible handling, and safe storage practices.

Training Details:

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2026

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: Monroe County Control Center

Address: 100 Gypsum Road, Stroudsburg, PA 18360

All attendees will receive:

Free Gun Safety T-Shirt

Free Gun Lock

Educational Printed Materials

Opportunity to participate in a Gun Safe Raffle

This session is being presented through a partnership involving the Monroe County Community Partnership for Gun Safety, Monroe County Sheriff's Office, Monroe County District Attorney's Office, and additional public health and safety organizations.

To register, please contact me at wedinger@monroecountypa.gov.

We encourage all Monroe County fire and EMS agencies to share this opportunity with their members and take advantage of this valuable training.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the safety of our first responders and the communities we serve.

Dates: December 5–6, 2026

Times: 0800–1630 hrs

Duration: 16 Hours

Instructor: William Weimer

Registration Deadline: December 1, 2026

The Incident Safety Officer course focuses on the responsibilities of the Safety Officer during emergency incidents and their role within the Incident Command System.

Participants will develop the knowledge and decision-making skills necessary to identify unsafe acts and conditions, recognize potential hazards, and implement appropriate corrective actions to protect emergency responders.

Prerequisites:

Participants must be at least 18 years old and have completed one of the following:

Essentials of Firefighting (EBM)

Exterior Firefighter (ELEF)

Bucks Basic Fire Academy

Firefighter I (NFPA 1001) Professional Certification

Cost: $30.00 for out-of-county students

Dates: December 19–20, 2026

Times: 0800–1630 hrs

Duration: 16 Hours

Instructor: William Weimer

Registration Deadline: December 15, 2026

This awareness-level course provides emergency service personnel with an overview of the laws, standards, and legal responsibilities associated with emergency response and departmental operations.

Topics include organizational administration, legal responsibilities, proper documentation practices, and the development of departmental operating guidelines.

This course is beneficial for firefighters, EMS personnel, company officers, and emergency service administrators seeking to strengthen their understanding of legal considerations within emergency services.

Prerequisites: None

Cost: $30.00 for out-of-county students

Location:

Bushkill Fire Company

Time:

9:00 AM - Fewer Fires Doesn't Mean Less Enthusiasm

12:00 PM - Move Forward: From Firefighter to Fire Officer

RSVP by January 25th to tarah.decker@bushkillfire.com

Classes will be instructed by Greco Emergency Logistics.

Breakfast and light refreshments will be provided.