A FIRE SAFETY CERTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR BOARD AND CARE OPERATORS

THE LONG-RANGE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH A TRAINING CERTIFICATION SYSTEM WHEREBY OPERATORS AND STAFF OF BOARD AND CARE HOMES FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES CAN RECEIVE UNIFORM, VALIDATED FIRE SAFETY TRAINING. TWO LEVELS OF TRAINING WILLBE DEVELOPED. LEVEL I CERTIFICATION FOR OPERATORS AND STAFF WILL BE DEVELOPED, TESTED, AND EVALUATED DURING PHASE I. LEVEL II CERTIFICATION FOR TRAINERS WILL BE DEVELOPED, TESTED, AND EVALUATED DURING PHASE II. THIS SYSTEM WILL OPERATE IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO THE RED CORSS CPR PROGRAM. TRAINING CONTENT WILL BE BASED ON THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION SYSTEM AND MODIFIED TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF HOMES FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CLIENTS. TRAINING WILL BE CONDUCTED BY FIRE SAFETYSPECIALISTS; PARTICIPANTS WILL BE OPERATORS AND STAFF OF A MARYLAND-BASED CHAIN OF RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. MATERIALS WILL INCORPORATE INNOVATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS AND MEDIA-INTERACTIVE VIDEO, AUDIO CASSETTES, AND OTHERS AS APPROPRIATE AND COST EFFECTIVE. THE SYSTEM WILL SERVE THE STAFF OF MORE THAN 65,000 RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES AND THEIR CLIENTS NATIONALLY AND ASSIST THE STATES BY PROVIDING A METHOD OF CERTIFYING FACILITIES IN FIRE SAFETY PROCEDURES.