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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 Recruit Academy Combined San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Recruit Training Grading Standards / Evaluations GRADING STANDARDS / EVALUATION A. IMPROVEMENT POINTS The use of improvement points vs a subjective daily evaluation is applied as a positive educational tool. Improvement point notification system focuses on learning, and is enhanced by accurate, immediate feedback by the evaluator to the learner/ recruit firefighter. First, the system is an agreement by which the instructional staff is obligated to provide immediate quantitative and qualitative feedback to each recruit who (a) fails a test or block examination and (b) fails to perform correctly a manipulative task or subtask/step that has been tested previously. (Note: To encourage working through mistakes during practice sessions, improvement points associated with manipulative skills are not given prior to a manipulative block test. After recruits have passed a block examination, improvement points are given if, during subsequent practice sessions or simulated emergency responses, mistakes are made.) Second, each recruit who reaches specific milestones (i.e., 25, 50, 75, and 100 deficiency points) is counseled in a prescribed positive method to ensure that he/she is aware of his/her developmental status and that he/she is using effective learning strategies. Safety to oneself and others is emphasized in the system. The categories for which improvement points are assessed include, but are not limited to: * Written Examinations * Practical Examinations * Field Operations * Work Routine B. WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS Quizzes will be administered periodically throughout the Academy and failure to achieve a minimum score of 80% will result in improvement points being assessed. The CPR quiz requires a passing grade of 84% in order to meet the American Heart Association Standards. The improvement point total assessed for any quiz or block exam will be calculated on the basis of total questions on the test. One improvement point per five questions will be assessed for failure to achieve a passing score of 80% on any quiz or Block exam (e.g.- San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Recruit Training Grading Standards / Evaluations a recruit that fails to achieve a passing score of 80% on 30 question exam would accrue 6 improvement points). Written block examinations are conducted approximately every two weeks throughout the "Operations" portion of Recruit Firefighter Training. Failure to achieve a minimum score of 80% will cause improvement points to be assessed, and a formal counseling session by the Training Staff. Recommendation for termination due to inability to meet minimum written examination standards will occur for (1) failure of the "Operations" final block examination, (2) failure to achieve 84% on the Heart Association CPR quiz after 1 retake, (3) failure of a third written "Operations" block examination, or (4) failure to achieve an overall quiz and examination average of 80% at the end of the Recruit Academy. C. EMT MANIPULATIVE SKILLS The California Code of Regulations, Title 22, and the County of San Luis Obispo EMSA, mandates manipulative skills that must be taught and tested during EMT training. Skill sheets are provided to recruits and practice sessions are held prior to testing. EMT manipulative skills are divided into mandatory skills and competency-based skills. Failure to pass a mandatory EMT skill after three (3) attempts will result in recommendation for termination for failure to meet minimum standards. The mandatory skills are selected from the following classifications: Patient Assessment, Airway Emergencies, Breathing Emergencies, Circulation Emergencies, Soft Tissue Emergencies, Neurological Emergencies, Musculoskeletal Emergencies, Patient Assisted Medications, Obstetrical Emergencies, Cardiac Arrest Management (AED) and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Mandatory skill examinations are conducted at the end of the EMT portion of Recruit Firefighter Training. Competency based skills are conducted throughout the Recruit Firefighter Training. All practical skill examinations must be passed according to listed criteria on the skill sheets. D. GRADING EMT MANIPULATIVE SKILLS Failure to pass any mandatory EMT skill test will result in a mandatory retake of that skill and an assessment of 5 improvement points. The retake is conducted on the same day as the original skill test. If a recruit fails to pass the mandatory retake, 5 additional improvement points are assessed, and a formal counseling session is scheduled. A third attempt at a skill, if necessary, is scheduled for the following morning. Failure to pass any manipulative skill test after three (3) attempts will result in termination due to failure to meet minimum standards. San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Recruit Training Grading Standards / Evaluations E. OPERATIONAL MANIPULATIVE SKILLS During Recruit Firefighter Training, basic and advanced skills required of a professional firefighter for the City of San Luis Obispo will be taught. Techniques and evolutions of the San Luis Obispo Fire Department shall be performed in the manner described in the grading sheets. Grading sheets are distributed to Recruits during preparation for the skills testing. These skills are based on the occupational analysis for the position of Firefighter in the City of San Luis Obispo. The occupational analysis conducted by the California State Fire Marshal and National Fire Protection Association Standard 1001 Professional Qualifications for Firefighter have also been used as references. F. GRADING OPERATIONAL MANIPULATIVE SKILLS Practical skill examinations are conducted approximately every two weeks throughout Recruit Firefighter Training. All practical skill examinations must be passed according to listed criteria on the grading sheets. Failure to pass any manipulative skill test will result in a mandatory retake of that skill and an assessment of improvement points. The retake is conducted on the same day as the original skill test. If a recruit fails to pass the mandatory retake, additional improvement points are assessed, and a formal counseling session is scheduled. A third attempt at a skill, if necessary, is scheduled for the following morning. Failure to pass any manipulative skill test after three attempts will result in termination due to failure to meet minimum standards. All manipulative skills will be tested according to the techniques and evolutions described in the grading sheets that are distributed to Recruits during preparation for the skills testing. For the purpose of grading during testing and simulated emergency situations, errors have been divided into two categories, Major (automatic fail) and Minor Errors. Major and Minor Errors can occur concurrently and as such, improvement points can be assessed concurrently during grading. Major Errors are listed as automatic fails on the Skills Sheet for each evolution. They are generally classified as acts or omissions that would compromise the safety of personnel, jeopardize a victim's safety, or result in a failure to complete an evolution. Committing a Major Error during a manipulative skill examination or simulated emergency will result in the failure of the skill, assessment of five improvement points for each error, and retaking the skill examination later in the day. Improvement points for any Minor Errors will also be assessed. Minor Errors are listed on the Skills Sheet for each evolution. They are generally those acts or omissions that, while incorrect, would not impair safety of personnel or completion of the evolution. San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Recruit Training Grading Standards / Evaluations Minor Errors committed during a manipulative skill examination or simulated emergency will result in the recruit being assessed improvement points as listed on the grading sheets. G. FORMAL COUNSELING Every effort is made throughout the academy to provide recruits with an awareness of their progress, deficiencies and remedial requirements. In addition to counseling for quiz or block examination failures, the Training Staff will counsel recruits whenever 25, 50, 75, and 90 improvement points are accrued. Due to the mixed schedule of classroom and field operations, counseling may not occur at the exact point of accumulation. An accumulation of 100 improvement points initiates termination from the San Luis Obispo Fire Department due to an excessive amount of improvement points. Failure to pass any manipulative skill test after a re-take will also result in a formal counseling session. The counseling session occurs prior to the third attempt. H. EXAMPLE OF APPLICATION As a Recruit you are expected to make mistakes while learning new skills. That is why you are in the Academy. If you make a mistake, admit it, correct it and move on to the next challenge. But mistakes cannot go on forever. Skills are learned during two-week "blocks" of instruction and are followed by a block examination. It is during these two weeks that the Academy instructors act as coaches, and mistakes are considered part of the learning process. Consider the following example. During the third day of practice with a 16-foot straight ladder, a Recruit is under the eye of the instructor as the ladder is raised multiple times. During one of the raises the recruit makes a mistake and drops the ladder. The instructor will discuss what went wrong and techniques to correct the mistake. No improvement points are assessed. In fact, the same maneuver might be practiced multiple times to correct the mistake. Improvement points for a skill are assessed for mistakes that occur during block examinations. To continue with the above example; the 16-foot straight ladder is tested during the Block I Skill Examination. If the Recruit mentioned above drops the ladder during the examination, improvement points are assessed according to the grade sheet. Once a Recruit has demonstrated proficiency in a skill during a block examination, the improvement points associated with the skill will continue throughout the Academy. Continuing with the above example, the recruit mentioned above has passed the skill examination for the 16-foot straight ladder. A simulated fire response is dispatched during the tenth week of the academy. While carrying out an assignment during the simulated fire the same Recruit drops the ladder. Improvement points will be assessed according to the grade sheet. San Luis Obispo City Fire Department Welcome Class 2023 Recruit candidates, Congratulations on your recent conditional job offer