Fire Program Newsletter
Fall Fire School Courses are Filling Up; Sign Up Now!
The DPSST Fire Program’s Fall Fire School will be held September 26–27 on the Oregon Public Safety Academy campus in Salem and features several sought after National Fire Academy courses.
Explore the available class options on the DPSST Fire Program Eventbrite page or later in this article under "Current NFA Classes" and register now to secure your spot. If a class is full, a waitlist is available by contacting Fire Program Specialist Madison Mancuso at madison.mancuso@dpsst.oregon.gov.
All courses run for the full two days and will conclude around 5 p.m. on September 27. Complimentary lodging is available on Friday, September 25, and Saturday, September 26, for participants traveling more than 75 miles. Breakfast and lunch are provided for all attendees.
If you can no longer attend after registering, please remember to cancel your reservation. Many classes have waitlists, and releasing your spot may allow someone else to participate. Please note that individuals who register but do not attend will be ineligible for DPSST fire trainings for one year.
For questions, contact Madison Mancuso at madison.mancuso@dpsst.oregon.gov or 971-433-7899.
Coos Bay & North Bend Recruit Academy Spends Week at DPSST
The Coos Bay Fire Department and North Bend Fire Department held part of their combined new recruit academy on the DPSST campus in July, making full use of the training grounds. Several DPSST Fire Training staff led the recruits through multiple hands-on skill scenarios, including live fire evolutions in the fire tower, water mapping using the specialized water‑mapping prop, and search and rescue operations in both the school and residential training structures. This week also marked the first time Fire Training utilized the scenario school for search and rescue operations. Smoke machines were used to create realistic low‑visibility conditions, helping students become familiar with navigating long hallways and locating rooms off those hallways during search and rescue.
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New District Liaison Officer for Region 6 – Douglas County
DPSST is pleased to welcome Battalion Chief Nick Wecks of Central Douglas Fire & Rescue as the new District Liaison Officer for Region 6. Chief Wecks brings more than 20 years of experience in the Oregon fire service, including over five years as a Training Officer. He also serves as Vice President of the Umpqua Fire Instructors Association and regularly attends the volunteer association meetings to support training, certification, and fundraising efforts.
Chief Wecks is well known throughout the region and steps into this role with the full support of his department. He looks forward to promoting training standards, mentoring future firefighters, and continuing to encourage consistency and quality across the region.
As the District Liaison Officer, Chief Wecks will serve as a local DPSST resource. He can assist with signing off on DPSST Task Performance Evaluation Requests (TPE-10), scheduling agency accreditation reviews, and answering questions related to Fire Certification processes and forms.
To schedule an accreditation review or TPE approval you can contact Chief Wecks at Nwecks@cdfr-or.gov or 541-580-9160.
District Liaison Officer Region 4A: Linn and Benton County - Application Deadline Extended to September 1st 2026
The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Fire Program is accepting applications for the voluntary Linn & Benton County District Liaison Officer (DLO) position.
DLOs are volunteers who facilitate communication between local organizations and the DPSST Fire Program. They may attend local training meetings, consult with fire chiefs, training officers, and community college officials, assist with task performance evaluation testing, and conduct Agency Accreditation Reviews (R-1). These reviews determine the levels of certification and training an agency can provide in-house.
DLOs stay current with fire certification practices to provide up-to-date information from DPSST. There are 21 DLOs serving voluntarily throughout the state, and their contributions are invaluable to DPSST’s mission and the Fire Program's success.
The DLO position is typically filled by a member of the Oregon fire service within the region they serve. Ideal candidates have a passion for training and either understand DPSST processes or are willing to learn.
If you are interested in applying, submit a DLO Application by September 1st, 2026. For more information, visit: DLO Program Information. To access the application form, visit: DLO Application Form.
Questions and completed applications can be directed to Fire Certification Supervisor Brooke Bell-Uribe at brooke.bell-uribe@dpsst.oregon.gov or 503-569-8260.
From the Fire Training Trail: July
Your monthly look at DPSST Regional Fire Training happening across Oregon. For more information on possibly bringing any of these trainings to your fire department or visiting campus, contact your Regional Fire Training Coordinator.
Off Road Vehicle Operator Course in Deschutes County
DPSST staff facilitated an Off‑Road Vehicle Operations (ORVO) instructor development course in Deschutes County. The ORVO program prepares first responders to operate vehicles safely on unimproved roads and challenging terrain, a critical need given the high rate of rollover‑related line‑of‑duty deaths among wildland firefighters. The July course included participants from law enforcement and fire service agencies across municipal, county, and tribal jurisdictions, with instruction focused on off‑road vehicle handling, stabilization, and recovery techniques. Graduates will be able to deliver ORVO training within their own agencies, strengthening statewide capacity and supporting more accessible, locally delivered instruction in the future.
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MFTU in Linn/Benton/Lincoln Counties
For the last few months, DPSST’s Mobile Fire Training Unit (MFTU) has been in Linn/Benton/Lincoln counties being operated by Mid Willamette Fire Training Coordinator Ryan Frizzell. The MFTU is a 53-foot trailer with a second floor designed for Class B live fire training. It includes three fire features, realistic smoke conditions, and active firefighting scenarios. Ryan ran workshops designed to provide new firefighters with a safe, controlled environment to practice live fire operations as well as develop future training through developing Live Fire Instructors and/or Live Fire Instructors in Charge.
Ryan ran the MFTU for multiple days at three locations in his region, inviting departments to run through several realistic scenarios to refine and improve their hands-on skills to be better prepared to respond to real-life incidents in their communities.
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2027 Winter Fire School: Coming Soon!
We are looking forward to hosting the 2027 Winter Fire School February 20th - February 21st, 2027. We will be announcing the opening of registration Thursday, October 1st, 2026. If you would like to get notified when this training goes live, please sign up to receive our Fire Training emails on Gov Delivery or follow our Eventbrite page.
Current NFA Classes
Incident Command System for Structural Collapse Incidents
Dates: Sept. 24, 2026 - Sept. 25, 2026
Times: 8 AM - 5 PM both days
Location: Bend, Oregon
5 spots left! Sign up using this link: ICSFSCI
Fall Fire School - 8 NFA classes (see class list below)
Dates: Sept. 26, 2026 - Sept. 27, 2026
Times: 8 AM - 5 PM both days
Location: Salem, Oregon
Class List:
- New Fire Chief: Administrative Issues - 9 spots left!
- Strategy and Tactics for Initial Company Operations - 6 spots left!
- Decision-Making for Initial Company Operations - 7 spots left!
- Preparation for Initial Company Operations - 16 spots left!
- Health and Safety Program Manager - Waitlist!
- Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting for the Structural Company Officer - 1 spot left!
- Youth Firesetting Intervention Specialist - Waitlist!
- Safety for Hazardous Materials Incidents - 25 spots left!
Sign up using this link 2026 FFS. Join a waitlist by emailing Madison Mancuso.
Command and Control of Incident Operations
Dates: Dec. 7, 2026 - Dec. 12, 2026
Times: 8 AM - 5 PM all 6 days
Location: Bend, Oregon
21 spots left! Sign up using this link: C&COIO
Maintenance Re-Certification
Reminder: it is time for the Biannual Maintenance Re-Certification process! By now, your agency should have received their Maintenance Re-Certification packet. The forms inside the packet are due back to DPSST by the end of December. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out the Fire Certification Specialist Michelle Hilt at michelle.hilt@dpsst.oregon.gov or 503-931-8806.
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