DELAWARE- A Delaware fire training leader has been chosen to help shape a national effort to improve firefighter safety by examining how training and preparedness may affect serious injuries and deaths in the line of duty.
The board of the North American Fire Training Directors selected Chad Ingram, deputy director of the Delaware State Fire School, to represent the organization on a research initiative led by the National Association of State Fire Marshals. The grant-funded project is being conducted in partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
The initiative will bring together fire service training professionals, researchers and data experts to review serious firefighter incidents, examine related training records and identify opportunities to strengthen safety practices across the country.
State leaders say the team will look for gaps in training, emerging educational needs and practical ways to better prepare firefighters for the risks they face during emergency responses and other fire service operations.
Matthew Dodds, director of the Delaware State Fire School, said Ingram's selection recognizes his expertise and dedication to protecting firefighters.
“Chad’s selection to represent the North American Fire Training Directors on this national initiative is an extraordinary recognition of his expertise and commitment to firefighter safety,” Dodds said. “We are incredibly proud of Chad and the opportunity for Delaware to contribute to work that could have a lasting impact on the safety and preparedness of firefighters throughout the country.”
Ingram helps oversee fire and emergency services training programs statewide. He also co-leads a Delaware committee that reviews injuries involving firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
The committee includes representatives from the Delaware State Fire School, the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Investigative Division of the Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission. Its work covers injuries sustained during emergency calls, training exercises and other fire service activities.
As a member of the national project's review panel, Ingram will contribute the perspective of state-level fire training organizations, drawing on his experience with emergency response, firefighter education and injury reviews in Delaware.
The initiative is intended to identify broader patterns and opportunities for improvement, not to place blame on individual training programs, instructors or fire departments. Researchers expect the findings to help guide educational materials and recommendations that can be shared with fire service organizations nationwide.
Ingram's participation will connect Delaware's experience in firefighter training and injury review with a broader effort to improve safety for emergency responders throughout the United States.
