National Fire Academy Contract Instructor Selection Criteria

Course: Emergency Resource Deployment Planning: Standards of Cover (R0492)

Curriculum: Planning and Information Management

The purpose of this six-day course is to provide fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), allied

professional chief officers, and designated standards of cover (SOC) staff with a framework and

the knowledge, skills and tools to develop an SOC for their community’s fire organization.

The goal of this course is for the participant to develop a comprehensive SOC framework for a

community’s fire organization. Groups of up to four individuals from the same organization are

encouraged to attend the same session.

Course Objectives

The students will be able to:

• Develop a process for creating a community SOC.

• Describe the process for and components of evaluating community expectations, risk

assessment, and performance measures.

• Apply the results from stakeholders’ expectations, the components of SOC, performance

measures, and risk assessment for performance improvement.

• Perform a critical task analysis.

• Demonstrate how National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data are used during

the risk assessment process.

• Access and apply Geographic Information System (GIS) and NFIRS data during the risk

assessment process.

• Select and apply data analysis tool techniques that are appropriate for the creation of risk

assessment, deployment analysis, and performance measurement.

• Compile and develop the quantitative components needed for SOC.

• Compile and develop the predictive components needed for SOC.

• Select, use and apply data analysis tools and techniques appropriate to the creation of risk

assessment, deployment analysis and performance measurement.

• Use NFIRS and common data analysis tools to evaluate an organization’s abilities to

mitigate and respond to risk (plan, mitigate, respond and recover).

• Develop a template for SOC that addresses acceptable community risk.
Criteria for Contract Instructor Selection

All new 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.

NOTE: Three categories of instructors will be used to teach the “Emergency Resource

Deployment Planning: Standards of Cover” course: primary instructor, SOC instructor and GIS

instructor.

Primary Course Instructor

The primary instructor will be responsible for knowledge of practices related to the course

materials and delivery, overall class management and conduct, exhibiting expert knowledge of

content related to the Microsoft Office Suite, the most current versions of Excel (Excel 10 and

advanced applications), data analysis and statistics, and the applied strategic planning model. This

instructor will manage course activities, evaluative elements related to rubrics and student grading,

and the reporting of final grades.

The primary instructor demonstrates a commitment to students and student learning through the

use of appropriate technology, collaboration with other instructors, and integration of student

contributions through inquiry, dialogue and application to ensure and sustain a classroom learning

environment.

Content delivery related to the following objectives:

• Access and work with GIS and NFIRS data during the risk assessment process.

• Select, use and apply data analysis tools techniques appropriate to the creation of risk

assessment, deployment analysis, and performance measurement.

• Compile and develop the quantitative components needed for SOC

• Compile and develop the predictive components needed for SOC.

• Select, use and apply data analysis tools and techniques appropriate to the creation of risk

assessment, deployment analysis, and performance measurement.

• Perform a critical task analysis.

• Explain how NFIRS data are used during the risk assessment process.

• Access and apply GIS and NFIRS data during the risk assessment process

• Evaluation of the template for SOC that addresses community needs.

1. Academic Requirement

Preferred

The candidate should possess a master’s degree in applied science or a content-related area,

documented completion of an instructional methodology course, expert knowledge of

Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, MapPoint, Street and Trips, and the University

Associates Model for Strategic Planning. The candidate should also be proficient with

NFIRS data and the SOC tools and process.
Minimum

The candidate should possess a bachelor’s degree in applied science or a content-related

area, documented completion of an instructional methodology course, expert knowledge of

Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, MapPoint, Street and Trips, and the University

Associates Model for Strategic Planning. The candidate should also be proficient with

NFIRS data and the SOC tools and process.

2. Instructional Experience

a. Documented successful facilitation of student-centered adult learning for

public/private administration and management level emergency service audiences

and demonstrated ability to guide discussions using existing or created instructional

material to ensure course learning objectives are achieved. Experience presenting

concepts and standards used in fire/EMS and public safety administrative and

programmatic decision-making courses.

b. Demonstrated experience in design and development of curriculum materials; in

presenting data-based programs, and in discussing computer network systems for

suitability and sustainability analysis and operation for the emergency service

sector.

c. Provide a list of the most recent topics and dates of your presentations at national

conferences and/or regional and state training venues. Identify what organization

sponsored the event.

3. Documented Knowledge and Experience in the Subject Area

Resume indicating level and extent of responsibility and authority, include two references.

If you have documented success developing and instructing online Web-based distance 

learning data analysis and statistical applications for fire, EMS and public safety, please 

include that information.

4. Additional Submittals

Author a one-page synopsis of current issues, trends and research that directly relates to the

fire service and/or this specific course.

5. Continuing Practice or Education

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

a. teaching a similar course at the college, state or regional level;

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

c. 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 on-going training or instruction may result

in revocation of the contract instructor status.

Standards of Cover Instructor

The SOC instructor has responsibility for leading instruction and demonstrations focused on

elements, components and process used to develop an SOC. This instructor has expert knowledge 

of SOC assessment processes including definition, identification and application of community

risk and risk assessment, core performance measures and standards, stakeholder expectations,

establishment of performance measures, and the tools and methodologies used to support the SOC

development within the strategic planning framework. The SOC instructor demonstrates a

commitment to students and student learning through the use of appropriate technology,

collaboration with other instructors, and integration of student contributions through inquiry,

dialogue and application to ensure and sustain a classroom learning environment.

Content delivery related to the following objectives:

• Develop a template for SOC that addresses community needs.

• Explain the process for creating a community SOC.

• Explain the relationship between stakeholders’ expectations, the components of an SOC,

performance measures, and risk assessment.

• Apply the results from stakeholders’ expectations, the components of an SOC,

performance measures, and risk assessment for performance improvement.

• Interpret, document and incorporate community expectations in terms of performance and

outcome measures for inclusion in an SOC.

• Explain how NFIRS data are used during the risk assessment process.

• Access and apply GIS and NFIRS data during the risk assessment process.

• Evaluation of the template for SOC that addresses community needs.

1. Academic Requirement.

Preferred

The candidate should possess a master’s degree in applied science or a content-related area

and documented completion of an instructional methodology course. The candidate should 

also have expert knowledge of the University Associates Model for Strategic Planning; the

role of Center of Public Safety Excellence (CPSE)/Commission on Fire Accreditation

International (CFAI) in supporting self-assessment to improve service delivery; the process

and tools used to evaluate current deployment, risk assessment, historic and current

performance measures; and proficiency with NFIRS and other emergency service data

analysis tools.
Minimum

The candidate should possess a bachelor’s degree in applied science or a content-related

area and documented completion of an instructional methodology course. The candidate

should also have expert knowledge of the University Associates Model for Strategic

Planning; the role of CPSE/CFAI in supporting self-assessment to improve service

delivery; the process and tools used to evaluate current deployment, risk assessment,

historic and current performance measures; and proficiency with NFIRS and other

emergency service data analysis tools or professional credentials and evidence of personal

and professional growth supporting your expert level knowledge, skills and abilities, and

documentation demonstrating delivery of SOC instructional courses for adult learners; and

experience presenting strategic business modeling for emergency services and/or the

Associates Strategic Planning Model.

2. Instructional Experience

a. Documented successful facilitation of student-centered adult learning for

public/private administration and management level emergency service audiences

and demonstrated ability to guide discussions using existing or created instructional

material to ensure course learning objectives are achieved. Experience presenting

concepts and standards used in fire/EMS and public safety administrative and

programmatic decision-making courses.

b. Demonstrated experience in design and development of curriculum materials, in

presenting data-based programs, and in discussing computer network systems for

suitability and sustainability analysis and operation of SOC for the emergency

service sector.

c. Provide a list of the most recent topics and dates of your presentations at national

conferences and/or regional and state training venues. Identify what organization

sponsored the event.

3. Documented Knowledge and Experience in the Subject Area

Resume indicating level and extent of responsibility and authority, include two references.

If you have documented success developing and instructing online Web-based distance 

learning SOC applications for fire/EMS/public safety, please include that information.

4. Additional Submittals

Author a one-page synopsis of current issues, trends and research that directly relates to the

fire service and/or this specific course.
5. Continuing Practice or Education

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

a. teaching a similar course at the college, state or regional level;

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

c. 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 on-going training or instruction may result in 

revocation of the contract instructor status.

Geographic Information System Instructor

The GIS instructor leads instruction and demonstrations which provide focus on integrating

hardware, software and data for capturing, managing, analyzing and displaying information. This

information enables students to visualize, interpret and understand data represented

geographically.

The GIS instructor demonstrates a commitment to students and student learning through the use of

appropriate technology, collaboration with other instructors, and integration of student

contributions through inquiry, dialogue and application to ensure and sustain a classroom learning

environment.

Content delivery related to the following objectives:

• Use the U.S. National Grid to read and plot coordinates on a map.

• Explain the concept of SOC as a geographic concept, and translate NFIRS data for use in

GIS allowing students to visualize, question, analyze, interpret and understand data that

reveals relationships, patterns and trends.

• Select, use and apply GIS and data analysis tools and techniques appropriate to the creation

of risk assessment, deployment analysis, and performance measurement.

• Use NFIRS, EMS and/or other emergency service data analysis tools to evaluate an

organization’s abilities to mitigate and respond to risk (plan, mitigate, respond and

recover).

• Calculate attributes summary and geographic statistics.

• Create integrative map products that support a fire organization’s SOC.

1. Academic Requirement

Preferred

The candidate should possess a master’s degree in applied science or content-related area

and documented completion of an instructional methodology course.
Minimum

The candidate should possess a bachelor’s degree in applied science or content-related area

and documented completion of an instructional methodology course or professional

credentials supporting your expert level knowledge, skills and abilities and documentation

demonstrating delivery of GIS instructional courses for adult learners.

2. Instructional Experience

a. Documented successful facilitation of student-centered adult learning for

public/private administration and management level emergency service audiences

and demonstrated ability to guide discussions using existing or created instructional

material to ensure course learning objectives are achieved. Experience presenting

concepts and standards used in fire/EMS and public safety administrative and

programmatic decision-making courses.

b. Demonstrated experience in design and development of curriculum materials, in

presenting data-based programs, and in discussing computer network systems for

suitability and sustainability analysis and operation of GIS for the emergency

service sector.

c. Provide a list of the most recent topics and dates of your presentations at national

conferences and/or regional and state training venues. Identify what organization

sponsored the event.

3. Documented Knowledge and Experience in the Subject Area

a. Public or private sector candidate must have expert professional knowledge of both 

GIS and SOC, the U.S. National Grid, spatial analysis including ArcGIS to chart

descriptive statistics, Hotspot analysis, discreet rare analysis, use of raster data, and

network analysis.

b. Demonstrated expert level knowledge of community all-hazard identification, risk

management, analysis and decision-making processes used to facilitate fire, EMS

and public safety sustainability/mitigation, preparedness, prevention, protection,

response and recovery.

c. Current knowledge of state of the art and recent case studies that define the focus of

future opportunities and barriers to implementing interagency and intra-agency

Web GIS system.

d. Current knowledge of legal issues, organizational behavioral trends, and research

expected to directly impact performance planning and risk reduction in emergency

service sector in the next three years. Current knowledge will be demonstrated by

authoring a one-page synopsis that directly relates issue/behavior/research to the

GIS application.
e. Resume indicating level and extent of responsibility and authority, include two

references.

4. Additional Submittals

Author a one-page synopsis of current issues, trends and research that directly relates to

the fire service and/or this specific course. If you have documented success developing

and instructing online Web-based distance learning GIS applications for fire, EMS and

public safety, please include that information.

5. Continuing Practice or Education

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

a. teaching a similar course at the college, state or regional level;

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

c. 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.

6. 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