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Archive for April, 2017

EMS Pediatric Training Course Updated with Voiceover Narration, Other Enhancements


TargetSolutions’ EMS Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Advanced course was recently updated with engaging features, including all-new audio, enhanced images, and revised content.

With more than 2,000 course completions in 2016, TargetSolutions’ EMS Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Advanced course was already popular. Recent enhancements promise to make it even more valuable to EMS agencies.

The two-hour course from the EMS continuing education library has been updated with new audio, enhanced images, and revised content. The EMS pediatric training course, which is up-to-date with standards set by the American Heart Association (AHA), is broken into 19 lessons guided with narration and text that highlights key points in digestible segments.

Fresh content and delivery are designed to be more thought-provoking and practical for emergency calls. Relevant case studies also improve comprehension of concepts for faster decision-making when facing real situations.

The EMS pediatric training course’s new interface is more pleasing for learners as the immersive imagery enhances retention of material. Users are more engaged with lessons featuring dynamic pictures that are closely tied to the given topics.

TargetSolutions’ EMS pediatric training surpasses the basic requirements for recertification. Paramedics looking to enhance their knowledge will be better equipped to help others after taking this course.

“The EMS Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Advanced course is one of our most utilized EMS courses. It’s critical to stay up-to-date with the most recent AHA guidelines and present the information in an engaging way.”

Bryan Fitzgerald, Content Manager, TargetSolutions

TargetSolutions continuously updates its EMS training courses to help personnel improve their level of care. If you have any questions about course updates or TargetSolutions’ online training catalog, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

A Look Ahead: How Real-Time Data Helps Organizations Maximize Performance

Real-time data provides organizations with a deeper understanding of their performance and provides valuable insight into future training needs.

How can your organization benefit from greater intelligence? Real-time analytics will change how your organization trains and influence future performance. By utilizing real-time data, organizations have a deeper understanding of training needs and what they need to do to improve learning development and enhance overall performance.

Real-time data allows managers to access analytics whenever they want. As data becomes more relevant to the status of a department, information is more impactful. Faster data also leads to more efficient training programs that reinforce essential concepts. Using data from TargetSolutions’ record-tracking tools, even previously undocumented drill-yard training can be quantified. This way, performance for activities or courses serves as immediate feedback and adjustments in training can be made accordingly.

“Training won’t just be a box you check. It will be triggered by metrics that identify a need.”

Vicki Zambito, Senior VP of Product, Content and Communications for Vector Solutions

Intelligent data also connects information by integrating with other big-data software. This includes popular systems such as HRIS platforms, EHS software, and incident management solutions. Maintaining data all in one place generates a more comprehensive overview of a department for easier decision-making.

Ultimately, smarter data gives insight into an organization and can help develop a more competent team. This is because analytics provides clearer insights through data visualization. When analyzing training course statistics, trainers can study completion patterns and assess the department’s progress to satisfying ISO requirements. If a common issue arises, trainers have the tool to effectively address it.

Beyond complying with annual standards, data reveals areas to improve. Departments can create custom activities that suit specific needs and fill training gaps. Additionally, after assigning a custom course, the platform manager can measure changes by comparing data from before and after the activity.

Real-time data provides insight into organizations with training analytics. Advanced data capabilities allow decision-makers to strategize training activities to improve learning and compliance.

For questions about real-time data and upcoming new developments for TargetSolutions, please contact us at (800) 840-8048.

Reignite Your Wildfire Training with TargetSolutions

The days are longer and temperatures continue to rise, hinting that wildfire season is officially upon us. In 2016, an estimated 67,000 wildfires burned through nearly six million acres of land, with Oklahoma, California, and Alaska accounting for almost one-third of the total acreage. As the costs of battling wildland fires surge to record highs, there’s no better time than now for your battalion to brush up on the fundamentals of wildfire training.

TargetSolutions offers two bundles of courses that explore the dangers and safety procedures of operating around wildland fires. RT-130: Wildland Fire Safety Refresher, which TargetSolutions will be updating for 2017 in the coming weeks, and the S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior provide more than 15 hours of dedicated training on the subject.

This infographic examines recent wildland fire statistics and details how TargetSolutions can help prepare your wildfire training for the upcoming season.

online wildfire training

Please click here to download this infographic on how TargetSolutions’ online management platform helps fire departments prepare for wildfire season. 

TargetSolutions Releases Second Fire Service Health and Safety Training Course

TargetSolutions’ Fire Service Health and Safety (Part II) explores the interconnected concepts of health and safety and how they relate to the fire service.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines wellness as “the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.” When it comes to the fire service, some of the most dangerous parts of the job are those which cannot be seen or heard, making firefighter safety issues an ongoing topic of discussion in the industry.

firefighter health and wellness

This all-new training is the second course in TargetSolutions’ firefighter health and wellness training series.

Fire Service Health and Safety (Part II), the second course in TargetSolutions’ firefighter health and wellness training series, is a newly released course developed by TargetSolutions that explores the principles of wellness and the unseen dangers that firefighters face every day. Loaded with 13 learning modules that cover an array of firefighter safety issues, the course features a complete voiceover narration track, exclusive interactions, and engaging multimedia.

“It’s important to understand that the fire isn’t the only danger that firefighters will face on a daily basis,” said TargetSolutions Content Manager Bryan Fitzgerald.

“The course includes a special section that focuses on chemicals of combustion that are associated with fires and how firefighters can keep themselves safe. Part II should be taken in tandem with Part I, as both courses are equally integral to firefighter wellness.”

Objectives of this firefighter health and wellness training course include:

• Discuss the concept of wellness as it pertains to the fire service
• Identify different chemicals of combustion
• Describe how fire smoke finds way past PPE, onto skin, and into firefighters’ bodies
• Discuss the evidence-based cancers related to firefighting
• Explain how other agents like diesel exhaust and shift work contribute to cancer

If you have any questions about TargetSolutions’ course catalog for fire departments, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

New Webcast Explores NFPA® 1410 Training Standard

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TargetSolutions recently launched a series of NFPA 1410 training standard courses that provide high-definition video demonstrations of common fireground evolutions.

A recent webinar delivered by Firehouse and sponsored by TargetSolutions dives into the importance and significance of the NFPA® 1410 training standard. The hour-long webcast touches on the importance of maintaining a self-sufficient training standard.

During the webinar, “NFPA® 1410: Are You Training to a Standard,” it is stated the responsibility of trainingsolely belongs to the firefighter.

cb-cta-button-nfpa1410-webcastThe webcast states five “musts” in order to produce great training in the fire service:

1) Realistic: If it’s not realistic, departments run the risk of losing their audience. Students will want to do anything else other than participate in training.

2) Relevant: It has to be relevant to what it is that departments are doing. If high-rise tactics are being trained on in rural America, it’s probably not very relevant.

3) Referenced: Where 1410 really comes into play, training has to be referenced back to a standard.

4) Performance Based: Evaluate performance on the scene.

5) Member Involved: Get the buy-in for training from your organization.

The presentation features a comprehensive history of NFPA® 1410, a detailed breakdown of the chapter makeup of the standard, and a thorough analysis of the training in context.

TargetSolutions recently launched a series of NFPA® 1410 training standard courses that provide high-definition video demonstrations of common fireground evolutions. Written, directed, and narrated by subject matter experts, the 14 courses close the gap between the training ground and the fireground.

“Modern firefighting is an art which requires a vast store of professional knowledge and skill. It is impracticable for an individual to attempt to acquire this knowledge and skill from experience alone, a major part must be acquired through systematic training and study.”

Lloyd Laymen, Chief, Parkersburg Fire Department

For more information about TargetSolutions’ NFPA® 1410 training standard courses, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

TargetSolutions Joins Forces with IAFC VCOS for Prestigious Training Officer Recognition Award

SAN DIEGO – TargetSolutions, the leading provider of computer-based training management applications for public safety agencies, announced today it would team up once again with the IAFC’s Volunteer and Combination Officers Section for the 2017 VCOS Training Officer Recognition Award.

2017 VCOS Training Officer Recognition AwardThis is the fourth year in a row the VCOS and TargetSolutions have worked together on the prestigious honor, which is entrusted each year to a training officer who goes above and beyond to provide personnel with exceptional fire department training.

For both TargetSolutions and the VCOS, the annual award is the perfect time to reflect on both organizations’ primary missions of helping fire service members stay safe and effective when called into action. VCOS Secretary/Treasurer Norvin Collins believes this award is important because it shines a well-deserved spotlight on those who work tirelessly to prepare firefighters for engagement.

“As leaders in our organizations, we should recognize those who not only do their job, but go beyond to influence their membership, the region, and potentially their state to make the fire service stronger.”

Norvin Collins, VCOS Secretary/Treasurer, Chief of the Sauvie Island Fire District in Portland, Ore.

“That’s why both the VCOS and TargetSolutions encourage fire service leaders to take the time to submit on behalf of deserving training officers so we can recognize their work. It is a pleasure, again, for the VCOS to partner with TargetSolutions and recognize the hard work and dedication so many training officers give to their departments. This award gives us the opportunity to give back and say ‘thank you.’”

Applications for the award are being accepted now through May 31. To make a nomination, please click here.

The award is designed to acknowledge exemplary conduct by a training officer for their creativity and effectiveness when delivering training. Nominees should be chiefs, training officers, or others well-acquainted with training and they must be an IAFC member or come from a department where the department or the chief is an active IAFC member.

The winner will receive a trip to the upcoming Fire-Rescue International, scheduled July 26-29 in Charlotte, N.C. Round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations will be presented to the winner.

Capt. Chip Everett of Oshtemo Township Fire Department (Mich.), Asst. Chief Brad Pinsky of Manlius Fire Department (N.Y.) and Steve Malone of the Manhattan Fire Protection District (Ill.) are the last three winners of the award.

In addition to the Training Officer Recognition Award, TargetSolutions is offering VCOS members a discount on the industry’s most robust online training management system. Departments will receive $500 off TargetSolutions’ set-up fee, plus an additional 10 percent off user fees. If interested in this discount, please click here.

For more information, please contact TargetSolutions today at (800) 840-8048.

 

About TargetSolutions
TargetSolutions delivers cutting-edge software applications, engaging online training courses, and world-class customer service. The company was founded in 1999 and today there are more than 4,000 organizations across the country using TargetSolutions to solve their training challenges.

About IAFC VCOS
VCOS provides chiefs and chief officers who manage volunteers within a volunteer or combination fire, rescue or EMS delivery system with information, education, services and representation to enhance their professionalism. For more information, check online at www.vcos.org.

Why TargetSolutions Is the Ultimate Tool for Tracking Fire Department Reports Online

TargetSolutions’ powerful records management system tracks all types of fire department reports online, including drill-yard and instructor-led training activities.

TargetSolutions may feature more than 300 hours of continuing education for emergency responders, but the platform offers more than just online training courses. While the platform is relied on by agencies across the country for web-based training, TargetSolutions’ records management system, reporting functionality, and customizable settings make it an all-in-one solution for managing fire department reports online.

TargetSolutions simplifies how agencies track firefighter training records. That platform’s cutting-edge functionality enables agencies to ensure compliance and operate at optimum levels. Here is an overview of the different ways TargetSolutions helps agencies manage training.

Departments Can Track Course Completions and Set Automated E-mail Notifications

As a career management solution, TargetSolutions helps personnel stay ahead of recertification deadlines and receive timely training. Trainers can assign courses and e-mail users when a series becomes available. TargetSolutions then allows trainers to monitor users’ progress with automated reports showing percentages of course completions and identifying users who haven’t finished.

Platform managers can select the option to notify users when courses are overdue to ensure everyone is certified in time. Setting automated reminders is particularly useful for credentials with annual renewals such as a driving license or EMS recertification.

In addition to recording course completions, firefighters can upload their paper certifications to the platform, so required documents are readily accessible.

“Being able to record credentials and custom task books is helpful for administrators to know where their department stands,” said TargetSolutions Account Manager Julie Blosch. “They can set up email alerts to remind learners of outstanding lessons and make sure everything gets done.”

Document Hours for ISO Reviews

Fire Department Reports Online

TargetSolutions’ recordkeeping system automatically tracks completions and generates detailed reports structured perfectly for ISO’s reviewing process.

One of TargetSolutions’ most crucial record tracking functions is recording training hours for ISO reviews. Automated reports make looking up users’ hours simple with a quick search.

With TargetSolutions you can deliver a ready-made training package that covers ISO fire department Driver Training, Officer Training, Hazmat Training, Company Training, and Facilities Training. The platform features “buckets” – consisting of online training courses and digital tracking reports – built specifically to meet ISO’s standards.

After your crew has completed the assignments, TargetSolutions’ recordkeeping system automatically tracks completions and generates detailed reports structured perfectly for ISO’s reviewing process. With TargetSolutions, the ISO will have little trouble auditing your fire department’s ISO training records.

Departments can keep important files organized in one place. Paperless fire department reports online reduce clutter and make the ISO audit as painless as possible. Departments across the country have reduced their audit stress by trusting TargetSolutions. Rather than managing records in binders and folders, administrators can generate detailed fire department reports online of individuals’ training hours.

“(The ISO) basically took my information and said ‘thank you’ so it was pretty easy. I was anticipating a much more rigorous type of review but I think based off of the pre-built TargetSolutions categories, I was able to give specific hours for those categories and it helped a tremendous amount.”

Matt Barnes, Battalion Chief, Southern Marin Fire Protection District (Calif.)

Create Custom Checklists for Inspections

Departments can utilize checklists for mandatory inspections such as engine checks, self-contained breathing apparatuses, and other emergency vehicle maintenance checks. Rather than duplicating the workload with a paper checklist and later uploading it, departments can record inspection details directly into TargetSolutions.

Responders who handle drugs such as Vicodin and Morphine can also verify expiration dates and control numbers in TargetSolutions. In this case, if an issue did occur, administrators could look up the day’s inspections and trace any discrepancies.

Mobile-friendly checklists save time doing administrative work and keep a consistent record for individuals’ accountability.

Document Ongoing Drill-Yard Training

While ongoing drill-yard training is not typically tracked, firefighters still undergo essential training in fire suppression. TargetSolutions makes it easy to track and report regular activities with pre-built electronic forms cover most departments’ daily training tasks and are easily accessible inside TargetSolutions.

The ready-made activities cover key activities, including emergency ops, fire pump, forcible entry, hose, ladders, vehicle repair, and much more.

Each training activity allows managers to document training details such as instructors and hours. Recording regular training is simple with TargetSolutions and furthers compliance to federal and state standards.

Ability to Deliver Policies and Apply E-Signatures

TargetSolutions adds convenience as administrators can upload policies and include e-signatures to deliver across the department. Policies can range from new hire documents to having firefighters sign off for attending an offsite training.

“TargetSolutions’ automated policy delivery and tracking technology allows users to save time and money while increasing compliance,” said Regional Sales Manager Kegan Konrady.

Documents are managed from the file center and are easy to attach when assigning activities. This function organizes vital records and clearly shows who in the department still needs to complete forms.

Better Record Tracking Means More Effective Training

Consistent record tracking and reporting give departments a more comprehensive understanding of trainees’ needs to develop an effective training program.

Fire Department Reports Online

TargetSolutions features more than 160 hours of EMS continuing education and powerful applications for scheduling, delivering and tracking recertification records.

Evaluation forms document new apprentice firefighters’ performance during activities and reveal gaps in training that need to be addressed. By recording learners’ behavior over time, patterns are discoverable, and trainers can better assess their readiness to be firefighters.

Even after a firefighter completes initial training, they never stop learning. TargetSolutions’ post-incident reporting helps firefighters analyze their actions on a call and study details for future training opportunities. Trainers can create case studies from reports to lower the risk of reoccurring errors or ensure certain procedures are repeated.

The situations reported from post-incident reviews also helps trainers create realistic simulations. The Sarnia Fire Rescue utilizes TargetSolutions to track their custom SimsUshare simulation training. Including scenario details in simulations such as the type of building, sprinkler system, fire hydrants, etc., which prepares learners for what they’ll encounter in real life.

Fire Department Reports Online Help Pre- and Post-Incident Training

Post-incident reports are also useful for developing accurate pre-training. Administrators can build content using report information to set learners’ expectations before hands-on activities. Pre-training saves departments hours of going through coursework for battalion training for the Southern Marin Fire Protection District.

“The people that did take that information [pre-course work] excelled at the battalion drills because they had all the information,” said Matt Barnes, who is battalion chief with Southern Marin Fire Protection District Battalion (Calif.).

“They had an ample amount of time to review it, study it, ask questions…do whatever they needed to do so they could become proficient at the skill they were being expected to perform in a group setting.”

TargetSolutions provides the leading firefighter training management system and allows trainers to generate fire department reports online. TargetSolutions is built to help agencies save time, reduce cost, and better document training hours.

For more information about TargetSolutions’ pre-built platform solutions, please click here. If you have any question about the industry’s leading records management system, please contact us today at (800) 840-8046.

Latest Enhancement Makes TargetSolutions More User-Friendly on Mobile Devices

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The file upload tool inside Activities and Credentials is now HTML5 compatible, equipping it for on-the-go uploads from mobile devices.

The File Upload Tool Inside Activities and Credentials Is Now Equipped for On-the-Go Uploads from Mobile Devices

TargetSolutions’ powerful Activities Builder and Manage Credentials applications are known to work wonders for platform managers. The tools help organizations streamline the delivery and tracking of customized training assignments and compliance tasks.

Now, users will also experience more convenience with the applications.

A recent enhancement is built to save users’ time by providing the ability to easily upload files, such as pictures of certificates, to activity completions. In addition, users will now be able to upload a copy of their license/qualification card to their credential.

TargetSolutions has modernized its file upload functionality to make it HTML5 compatible. This will allow for better utilization of mobile devices.

Users will be able to take a picture of a certificate and upload it directly to an activity or credential, rather than having to come back to a computer, scan the certificate, and upload it into TargetSolutions.

“We live in a mobile age, and there are a lot of advantages in that,” said TargetSolutions Product Manager Misty Pratt. “Everyone carries their phone in their pocket. The ability to take a picture of something like a cert and add it directly into the platform is going to save a lot of people a lot of time.”

If you have any questions about this enhancement or other features inside TargetSolutions’ online training management system, contact us today at (800) 840-8048.

New NFPA® 1041 Series Focuses on Fundamentals of Fire Instructor Training

TargetSolutions’ new bundle of NFPA® 1041 courses focuses on the foundational methods of effective fire service instructors.

Knowledge is power. Remembering simple multiplication and six-syllabled words may work in a field of redundancy, but applying that knowledge can help shape a career. TargetSolutions understands this, hence the importance of equipping fire service training instructors with the tools they need to leave a positive impression on firefighters.

TargetSolutions is proud to announce the release of a new series of courses designed specifically for fire instructors and written to the National Fire Protection Association’s 1041 standard.

tslogo_symbol-color-smallNFPA® 1041 amplifies the job performance requirements expected of fire service instructors. Divided into three levels (Instructor I, II, and III), each lesson examines varying degrees of knowledge of the occupation and serves as a roadmap for entry-level instructors on the path to becoming the chief of training.

The courses are written to the levels of the National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) and International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC).

Criteria for each section include the following:

  • Level I: Student learning psychology, instructor credibility, assessment requirements.
  • Level II: Curriculum development, additional information on requisite knowledge and skills to level I.
  • Level III: Selecting instructors, proposal developments, and training analysis.

Written by subject matter expert and decorated industry professional Brian Ward, who has written many articles, including this piece titled “Fire Department Leadership: Nature vs. Nurture,” the courses feature a rich multimedia format with complete voiceover narration and exclusive interactions.

“NFPA® 1041 provides the necessary knowledge and skills from the instructional aspect for our fire service instructors and training officers to carry out the fire service mission of protecting lives and property,” said Ward.

Upon completion of this series, students will have an improved foundation of communicating with students, a further competency of the various types of instructional media as well as the benefits and limitations of each, and possess a fundamental understanding of student motivation and create a positive learning environment.

“NFPA® 1041 switches things up and approaches the subject matter from the instructor’s perspective. These courses give instructors the tools needed to develop and manage a successful training program.”

Bryan Fitzgerald, Content Manager, TargetSolutions

This new training bundle comes on the heels of last month’s release of the all-new NFPA® 1410 training series, which features 14 courses written to the NFPA® standard for firefighter evolutions.

For more information on this new series or other courses in TargetSolutions’ online training library for firefighters, please contact us today at (800) 840-8048.