National Fire Academy Criteria for Contract Instructor Selection

Course: Demonstrating Your Fire Prevention Program’s Worth (R0378)

Curriculum: Fire Prevention: Public Education

Criteria for Contract Instructor Selection

All new contract instructors shall be evaluated in three consecutive course deliveries in

accordance with the National Fire Academy’s (NFA’s) Contract Instructor Evaluation program.

Existing contract instructors are subject to evaluation in accordance with this program.

1. Academic Requirement

The candidate should possess a bachelor’s degree from an institution that is accredited.

Academic degrees should be in a discipline closely related to those subjects covered in

this course, that is, evaluation, epidemiology, risk management, public health, public

administration, etc. Consideration will also be given to those candidates who do not meet

the academic requirement but verify broad, and progressive administrative and leadership

experience related to the subject area of evidence evaluation. Candidates who have an

understanding and use of the Centers for Disease Control’s publication titled

“Demonstrating Your Prevention Program’s Worth” will receive consideration. 

Epidemiologists and prevention evaluation specialists are encouraged to apply.

Candidates are urged to successfully complete this course as a student prior to the

candidate’s submission.

2. Instructional Experience

Candidates must have successfully completed a recognized educational methodology

course and must demonstrate successful instructional delivery to adult learners at local,

regional, federal and/or state fire training academies, colleges or universities. Instructor II

level certification (National Fire Protection Association 1041) or equivalent satisfies this

requirement. Candidates must be proficient in the facilitation of intensive, small work

groups.

3. Documented Knowledge and Experience in the Subject Area

a. Candidates must document evidence of experience focused on evaluation

strategies which results in evidence for a community intervention, prevention

program or service (fire inspection, public education).

b. Candidates must address their own knowledge and experience in the following

course topics:

- Evaluation evidence in community risk reduction.
- Knowledge and experience with four types of evaluation — formative,

process, impact and outcome.

- Writing SMART evaluation objectives.

- Gathering and analyzing credible evidence — including use of basic

statistical analysis such as mean, medium and mode, and qualitative

analysis.

- Sharing use of evaluation and lessons learned in prevention evaluation.

- Understanding and basic use of Microsoft Excel. (Demonstration is

provided.)

4. Continuing Practice or Education

Ability to maintain currency in the field and the specific course by:

a. teaching a similar course at the college or university level;

b. taking a similar course within the last five years;

c. teaching the course at the NFA or in the field within the last two years; or

d. writing and researching a paper or article related to the course topic for at least

one of the fire service or related disciplines’ trade journals within the last two

years.

Failure to provide approved documentation of ongoing training or instruction may result

in revocation of the contract instructor status.

5. How to Submit an Application 

The following documents are required with each submission:

a. A cover letter listing the courses you want to teach.

b. Your résumé.

c. Documentation that clearly addresses how you meet the instructor selection 

criteria for each course you are seeking to teach (e.g., academic requirement, 

instructional experience, knowledge and experience in the subject matter, and 

continuing practice or education). This document needs to be written in that order. 

Incomplete packages will not be processed.

d. Three references from persons who are knowledgeable about your character as 

well as your teaching ability. One reference letter should be from the department 

or agency head in your organization or certifying organization.

e. Include a current email address so we can communicate more efficiently with 

you.

Application package(s) must be submitted to:

National Fire Academy

fema-nfainstructorapp@fema.dhs.gov