Safety Committee Reports and Accident Analysis
Berthoud Fire’s safety committee investigations were referenced in the development of this training
needs assessment. Based on the analysis and recommendations from the reports, emphasis should be placed on
safe body mechanics and proper push, pull, and lift techniques to avoid and prevent injuries.
Driver training will continue to be emphasized based on the department’s current needs and growth.
Motor vehicle crashes remain the second leading cause of death of on-duty firefighters. Many of these represent a
disproportionate risk based on the nature of the calls to which the victims were responding. 6 New driver / pumper
academies are being planned for spring and fall with continued education for incumbent engineers and drivers,
skid control classes, and defensive driver training.
On-going education and prevention training regarding occupational cancer risks will remain a focal point
for BFPD training, with all live fire training sessions including a safety message to reinforce proper
decontamination and cleaning procedures.
Regulatory changes for 2026
The Division of Fire Prevention and Control changed the recertification cycle from 3 to 5 years, which
impacts the frequency with which JPRs must be completed. Previous training assessments have allowed for every
JPR to be completed each year; moving forward this longer renewal interval will allow for some training topics to
be scheduled with less frequency, allowing more training time for topics with higher training priority. Changes
within the Insurance Services Office’s requirements are also reflected in this needs analysis. Most notably, we
must document a multi-agency drill each quarter. Instructors will no longer receive training credit for sessions that
they instruct, and fire investigators must document 40 hours of related training each year.
Development of the Training Calendar
Once needs are prioritized, the training calendar is based upon the risk / frequency matrix previously
6 NFPA, NIOSH, and NIH reports of firefighter LODD incidents
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