The Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI)
hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 on the IFSI training grounds, Champaign. The event, in cooperation with the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM), officially launched the release of four mobile trailers containing equipment essential for firefighting skills training. The trailers will be deployed across the state and readily accessible to local fire departments as a no cost training resource. In most cases, the equipment will be allocated to training volunteer fire departments where resources or budgets may be limited.
The trailers were purchased with State of Illinois funding secured by the OSFM. Fire Marshal, Matt Perez, was instrumental in advocating for and securing the state funding to support the grant purchase of the mobile training resources. The allocated funds are managed through the IFSI Cornerstone Program which delivers fundamental training to local fire departments, MABAS divisions, and Mutual Aid Associations. In FY18, the IFSI Cornerstone Program provided training to 11,022 students and served 936 fire departments across the state. The mobile trailers will enhance IFSI training efforts and increase the accessibility to essential firefighting skills training. The equipment and training will be coordinated through seven IFSI Regional Representatives who serve the firefighters and departments across Illinois.
IFSI Director, Colonel Royal Mortenson, states, “We are grateful for the support of Fire Marshal Perez and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, as well as the Illinois State government, for the opportunity to expand the impact of the Cornerstone Program and the associated essential skills training that it provides to departments that would otherwise not receive the training.”
“The Cornerstone Program delivers fundamental hands-on training to local departments across the state,” said Fire Marshal Perez. “The addition of these four mobile trailers will allow IFSI to bring essential equipment and training to departments that wouldn’t receive it otherwise. I am proud to partner with IFSI in continuing to grow this amazing program which helps meet the training needs of our volunteer firefighters.”
Representatives from IFSI and OSFM jointly participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony. The agencies also welcome leaders from multiple professional organizations that represent and advocate for the Illinois Fire Service, such as the Illinois Fire Services Association.