Department of Government and History

Introduction

This statement really says it all. Gone are the days when firefighters are running into buildings while others are running out. The internal and external mission of the fire service has been evolving for the last thirty years and the fire service is now tasked with solving problems of a nature other than fire. This generation of firefighters takes an all-hazards approach to public service. People are calling on the fire department to solve a myriad of problems ranging from fire, medical emergencies, and traumatic injury to simply "I’ve fallen and I can’t get up." The types of response preparation required of the modern firefighter include communication skills, an understanding of the social and cultural environment they respond in and the ability to creatively solve people problems. It is no longer enough to be a technical expert. Certainly technical skills enhance response outcomes and enhance safety. However, eighty percent of the current calls for service involve interacting with people at a variety of levels.

Additionally, fire service officers are now working in a more complicated work environment. The current and future leaders of the fire service must be up to date and capable of dealing with human resource laws and regulations that are under constant scrutiny and evaluation.

They are tasked with leading a more informed generation of workers who demand professional competency from those in leadership positions.

With that, FSU welcomes you and hopes that you will benefit from this approach and philosophy. Remember at FSU it is all about U.

Thanks,