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Session Number 2004-101

Distance Education Technology Empowers the Fire Service

Dave Murphy Lorraine Stanton

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

Due to increasing demands, professional requirements, emergent technologies and new threats to public safety, fire service professionals have ever-increasing needs for access to higher education. To aid in this quest, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte has initiated distance education classes as a part of the Fire and Safety Engineering Technology program. Distance Education enables the fire science degree-seeking student to access upper level college fire classes in the fire station or in the comfort of their own home. This paper describes the need for such a program, the strategies and technologies involved at UNC Charlotte, and the favorable outcomes that have resulted from the institution of this program.

Distance Education and the Fire Service Professional

On September 11, 2001, the world changed. In no other profession was this impact greater than in the United States Fire Service. In the past century, the fire service has evolved from primarily fighting fires to the title of “homeland defender”, responding to a wide variety of emergencies. More than ever, new emerging focus areas continue to necessitate a better- educated fire service. Unfortunately, due to their long work shifts and geographic constraints, opportunities for fire service professionals to further their education in a traditional University setting are sometimes challenging. The Fire Service would greatly benefit by increased opportunities for Distance Education, however such opportunities at this time are limited. According to our own investigations, currently less than eight accredited four-year institutions

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Stanton, L., & Murphy, D. (2004, June), Distance Education Technology Empowers The Fire Service: A Hybrid Approach Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--12708