Posts Tagged NIPSTA

As seen around … NIPSTA

This from Tim Olk:

Nipsta Fire Academy Firefighter Academy Live Fire

firefighter academy training with propane fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighter academy training with propane fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighter academy training with propane fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighter academy training with propane fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighter academy training with propane fire

Tim Olk photo

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Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

A delegation from Indiana toured the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA) in Glenview, the 21-acre site for first responders police officers and firefighters, which is run by an intergovernmental agency of municipalities, fire protection districts, and other organizations.

When Jill Ramaker first became executive director two years ago, she was determined to expand NIPSTA’s reach.

“When I first came here, about 70 percent of what we did was fire service training,” Ramaker said. “Really, the vision that I had for NIPSTA was to [include] all the different types of agencies and training that’s required for a full-scale disaster response,” she said.

So in only a couple of years, NIPSTA has become a comprehensive training center for personnel in disaster health care, law enforcement, public works, and much more.

She also wasted no time in bringing in the latest technology to be used in diverse training exercises, said several instructors. One of Ramaker’s most ambitious additions was the Center For Disaster and Emergency Medicine.

“We really are on the ground floor of this program,” Ramaker told her tour group. “There was a gap that existed, and once you get through paramedic school, nothing was really out there to challenge people to use their skills and get really, really good at what they do every day.”

It isn’t just a matter of increasing the kinds of first responders personnel that are trained at the facility, although NIPSTA certainly has done that, Ramaker said; it’s also about making sure they train together.

“What we’ve tried to do here at NIPSTA is to say, ‘Who are all of the different types of agencies and individuals and organizations that are going to be required to respond in a disaster, whether it’s a small-scale or catastrophic event,'” Ramaker said.

Voting members of NIPSTA include towns from Arlington Heights, Winnetka, Deerfield, Skokie, Evanston, Park Ridge and more — nearly two dozen representatives in all.

The Indiana visitors, were there because they want to develop a public safety training center in their own state.

They saw firefighters working to free “victims” in car crashes in extrication exercises; a new mobile ambulance with state-of-the-art technology; a training room in the new Center For Disaster and Emergency Medicine. They toured the sprawling grounds to see firefighter training towers and an area for trench disasters and an old rusted out commuter train that can serve as a venue for rescue training.

Inside, they saw how law enforcement personnel work with virtual reality technology. In a demonstration, an officer headed to the backyard of a domestic incident that instantly turned more serious than originally believed; in another, he entered the scene of a school shooting where a student is down and a virtual officer beside him is suddenly shot.

A nearby driving simulator allows trainees to hone their driving skills in all kinds of weather conditions and emergency circumstances.

Shortly after Ramaker took over the top spot at NIPSTA, she hired former Broadview Fire Chief Tom Gaertner as deputy director. These two make up half of the four full-time staff members at NIPSTA, overseeing some 450 instructors who are experts in their fields, they say.

Some of the trainers are retired from public safety jobs, while others do this work in addition to jobs with police or fire departments or other agencies.

“We are about 35 percent higher in revenue than we were at this time last year,” Ramaker said. “From a business perspective, to me, that says we’re growing very fast.”

Ramaker said the new Center For Crisis Leadership is on tap for next year. NIPSTA hired a new director of campus safety. The agency will be working with Chicago in a new partnership. Public works employees can now train in techniques to safely plow snow here. NIPSTA is taking on a bigger role working with school districts on their emergency plans. And it can train those in private industry as well.

The nature of confronting emergency situations in the 21st century — both large and small — require proper training and most importantly, a coordinated and comprehensive response, she said.

“When someone calls NIPSTA and asks if we can help, we respond always with a yes,” Ramaker said. “If we don’t have a program in place, we build one. We put it together. We won’t turn anyone away because every part of society — every part of business — is impacted by serious changes in our world today.”

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As seen around … NIPSTA

Tim Olk images of VMT training at NIPSTA 11/10/15

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

high-angle rescue training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

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Firefighter training at NIPSTA

Images from Tim Olk of some recent training scenarios:

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

firefighter training

Tim Olk photo

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Of interest … three generations at firefighter graduation

This from Drew Smith:

Friday, September 12th NIPSTA Firefighter Academy class 1403 graduated 29 candidates. As is customary near the end of the ceremony, candidates are afforded the opportunity to have their badge pinned on by a family member in the fire service, currently or retired. In this class there were five such candidates. One of these candidates, Josh Hutchison of Northfield Fire Rescue had both his father, Winnetka Captain Tom Hutchison and his grandfather, retired Chicago Fire Department Captain Jerome Hutchison pin his badge. This was a first for a NIPSTA class. Jerome, now 83, attended in his Class A uniform. His son Tom provided the follow history of his father’s assignments. Of particular note is his original service with the Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol shortly before it was disbanded. The retired captain also shared some stories with members of the Skokie FD who were in attendance regarding the old fire patrol wagon which he served on and was purchased by Skokie and used as their squad in the 1960s.

From Tom: Here is a quick snap shot of Dad’s career;

56-58    Fire Insurance Patrol 1 & 2

59-67    Engine 24 Firefighter

67-69    FPB Lieutenant (Hotel inspector)

69-71    Salvage Squad 2 Lieutenant

71-75    FPB Lieutenant (New Construction of Sears tower)

75-77    1st Division relief Lieutenant

77-80    Engine 30 Lieutenant

80-82    Engine 7 Lieutenant

82-92    Administration Captain

Drew Smith, Director

NIPSTA Firefighter Academy

3 generations fo firefighters

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Nipsta Class 1402 car fires

Tim Olk was on hand at NIPSTA during a recent class on fighting vehicle fires and submitted several images.

firefighter class photo

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

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As seen around … Glenview

This from John Tulipano:

On April 9th I was able to attend some afternoon drills at NIPSTA with companies from MABAS Division 3 running a simulated building explosion and collapse with several autos on fire and a civil disturbance!

THANKS HANK!

John
fire truck photo

John Tulipano photo

fireman putting on his gear

John Tulipano photo

firemen fighting a car fire in training

John Tulipano photo

fire truck photo

John Tulipano photo

fireman with hose

John Tulipano photo

fire truck photo

John Tulipano photo

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Firefighter training – car fires

Tim Olk was at NIPSTA this week while the class was working with car fires. Here are several images from the evolutions.

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

car fire training for firefighters

Tim Olk photo

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Firefighter training at NIPSTA

This from Drew Smith:

On February 6th, the NIPSTA Firefighter Academy candidates were instructed on working from an aerial and on Bangor ladder raises. Due to the temperatures being near zero NIPSTA Truck 1 was set up inside and the class conducted using the two-and-one-half story RIT prop.

firefighter training with big ladders

Drew Smith photo

firemen training at indoor location

Drew Smith photo

firemen train with Bangor ladder

Drew Smith photo

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Fire truck group photo

TIm Olk submitted this image representing companies training at NIPSTA. Can anyone identify all of the rigs left to right?

northern Illinois fire trucks

Multiple fire trucks lined up at NIPSTA. Tim Olk photo

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