Yuma, Arizona - At last week’s City Council meeting it was announced that Assistant Fire Chief Dustin “Dusty” Fields had completed the Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program of the National Fire Academy. Chief Fields is one of only 3 currently serving YFD members who have completed the program. Fire Chief Steve Irr, and Battalion Chief Mike Walton are the other members from YFD.
Chief Irr, who completed the program in 2011, pointed out that “successful completion takes individual dedication, family support, and willingness of co-workers to step up and fill in to keep YFD running smoothly” when participants are away for classes. Chief Fields added “I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the EFO program but I could not have done it without the support of my family and the Yuma Fire Department”.
The National Fire Academy is located in Emmitsburg, MD and the Executive Fire Officer Program provides senior fire officers with a broad perspective on various facets of fire and emergency services administration. The courses and accompanying research examine how to exercise leadership when dealing with difficult or unique problems within communities.
EFO Program students, enhance their professional development through a series of four graduate and upper-division-baccalaureate equivalent courses taken over a four-year period. Each course is two weeks in length. You must complete an in depth research project that relates to your organization within six months after the completion of each of the four courses.