7am News, Sports and Obits
Latest WGIL news
Click to play or
Right click and "Save Target As" to download
Click for Galesburg, Illinois Forecast
Home - Cancellations - Community Events - Contact Us - Mornings - News - Obituaries - Pictures - Programs - Special Events Audio - Sports - Weather
Galesburg Firefighter Gains Executive Status
A Galesburg firefighter has essentially done a lengthy research project, which has helped him earn a special status. Galesburg Fire Department Operations Chief Tom Simkins recently achieved the designation of Executive Fire Officer -- a way through the National Fire Academy that teaches senior fire officers to turn to a more proactive-form of firefighting.

Galesburg Fire Chief John Cratty, speaking at a recent City Council meeting, says given the fact that Simkins has a day job, the EFO program isn't an easy one to go through. "You go to two weeks worth of class, then you come home and you've got six months to do a research paper," Cratty said. "There's a lot of things that happen on the job that keep making you put the paper off until the last minute. A lot of times we'd have a conversation...'Tom, have you started your paper yet?' He does a fine job for us."

Cratty says Simkins completed four research papers as part of his coursework on subjects ranging from evacuating elderly residents from high-rises, to recalling firefighters in urgent situations.

Simkins says he couldn't have done it without his colleagues on the fire department and in the Galesburg Public Safety building in general.

For more information on the Executive Fire Officer program, CLICK HERE.
08 31 08 by Newsroom
News management powered by Xpression News

Click here for the WGIL News Archive

Click here for national news

The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.