Training for Skills Development
All new hires are placed through a four-week verification of skill sets (V.O.S.S.) process to determine the level of knowledge of the recruit. Recruits who pass V.O.S.S. and have previous career experience or have successfully completed the Northwest Arkansas Regional Fire Academy within the last fourteen weeks will be assigned to a fire operations captain for a nine-week period for evaluation.
Recruits who don't meet the above requirement will attend Northwest Arkansas Regional Fire Academy (NWARFA). The NWARFA consists of 10 weeks of training meeting the standard requirements of the NFPA 1001 and the Arkansas Fire Academy, and another two weeks of instruction with Rogers Fire Department Training Division Staff to ensure the recruit is ready to deploy from RFD fire apparatus.
Topics of the RPFA
The NWARFA consists of the following topics:
- IFSAC Firefighter 1 and 2 Accreditation
- NFPA 1006 Rescue Operations Level Training
- NFPA 1002 Emergency Vehicle Operations Training
- Firefighter Safety and Survival
- Hazardous Material Awareness and Operations Certification
- National Incident Management System Certification (ICS 100, 200, 700, 800)
- Rapid Intervention Training
