The annual Training Advisory Committee meeting took place in Annapolis, MD, in September 2024. Formed in 2023, the TAC provides guidance and recommendations for current and planned educational activities for UL Research Institutes' Fire Safety Research Institute. This year, the group of 15 experienced and passionate members joined our amplification team for two days to discuss how best to support firefighters’ learning and development.

Aligning on Current and Future Training Materials with the TAC

Angela Bennett, Research Amplification Director of Education & Training and Digital Media Production, and Meghan Maloney, E&T Manager, kicked off the discussion with a recap of the E&T team's accomplishments in 2024. Highlights included the launch of the updated Fire Safety Academy and two new training programs for the fire service. The committee then discussed the current perception of our training materials and where we aim to position ourselves moving forward. Through an interactive workshop, the committee reflected on our strengths and brainstormed ways to make progress toward our goals.

Gathering Feedback from the TAC to Improve Our Training Materials

During breakout group sessions, TAC members discussed FSRI’s current training offerings, key audiences, new FSA features, and our amplification and stakeholder engagement efforts. The members shared suggestions for improvements in each area based on personal experiences in their own roles. The feedback was invaluable and will help ensure that our training materials continue to be designed with and for the fire service. 

“The TAC has played a crucial role in the success of our training materials. Their fresh perspectives and practical recommendations have shaped our work from the start and will continue to guide the evolution of our strategy and training materials.” 

—Angela Bennett, Research Amplification Director of Education & Training 

Continuing to Evolve our Firefighter Training Materials with the TAC

Over the course of two days, several key themes emerged on how we can better meet the training needs of the fire service. Notable points include the need to:

• continue expanding features in the FSA to ensure a seamless experience for firefighters and instructors,
• offer tailored content to better engage current audiences and attract new ones, and
• provide instructors with training that fosters both mastery of the material and the confidence to teach it effectively. 

This meeting would not have been complete without some well-deserved downtime spent sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, touring the U.S. Naval Academy, and sampling local culinary specialties. These moments offered an opportunity for relationship building and reflection, strengthening the connections among committee members.

We appreciate all our TAC members joining us for this meeting. Our Education and Training Team will formulate a strategic roadmap for the upcoming year based on their suggestions so we can continue to deliver engaging, high-quality, evidence-based content to the fire service.