Administration
MFRI prides itself in its ability to present courses which meet our customers' needs, whether it is accomplished through site specific, mobile training at a customer's facility, or at any one of MFRI's training centers throughout the state of Maryland. The College Park Headquarters training facility and the six regional training centers all have classroom and live fire-training facilities. Each training center has assorted props and equipment necessary to conduct courses such as confined space training, hazardous materials training, forcible entry training, and fall protection training among others.
MFRI prides itself in its ability to present courses which meet our customers' needs, whether it is accomplished through site specific, mobile training at a customer's facility, or at any one of MFRI's training centers throughout the state of Maryland. The College Park Headquarters training facility and the six regional training centers all have classroom and live fire-training facilities. Each training center has assorted props and equipment necessary to conduct courses such as confined space training, hazardous materials training, forcible entry training, and fall protection training among others.
Operations Section
The Operations Section is divided into two sections that are responsible for implementing and delivering programs. The State Programs offerings are coordinated through a regional delivery system. Regional offices/training centers are geographically located in Western Maryland (Cresaptown), North Central office only (Mt. Airy), North East (Edgewood), Upper Shore (Centreville), Lower Shore (Princess Anne), and Southern Maryland (La Plata). Regional facilities consist of the office, and specialized props to perform evolutions in structural fire fighting, rescue, and other special training activities. The Special Programs Section provides emergency services training for government and first responders throughout the world. The Operations Chief oversees the section with a manager for each program.
Finance and Administrative Section
The Finance and Administration Section is responsible for the administrative support of all MFRI sections including equity, payroll, human resources, travel expenses, purchasing, budget reporting, grant accounting, front desk duties, invoicing and merchandise sales. This section is responsible for ensuring compliance with federal and state law along with University and the Institute policy.
Logistics
The Logistics Section is responsible for: managing logistical support; overseeing risk management; administering all MFRI networks and computers; and developing and maintaining preregistration, registration, and transcript systems. The printing services unit formerly housed within Administrative Services, is now a part of this section.
Planning
The Planning Section (formerly Institute Development Section) is responsible for the creation and revision of all MFRI programs. All professional development opportunities for full- and part-time personnel are handled by this section as well. This section now includes two new units – analytics and graphics. Both units existed in other areas before being moved to the section
Incident Command Simulation Center
The University of Maryland, Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) Incident Command Simulation Center (ICSC) at College Park offers state-of-the-art training opportunities to fire departments, EMS, law enforcement agencies, and other emergency responders. Students are presented with a variety of very realistic simulated incidents involving fires, hazardous materials incidents, mass casualty incidents, and other scenarios that afford them the opportunity to learn in a safe and supportive environment. The training is tailored to meet the needs of the students. The simulations can enhance existing skills and/or develop new ones. From the newest members to more experienced incident commanders, situations are fashioned to allow all to benefit from the chances to practice and learn. In addition to the large-screen pictures of various parts of the incidents that are displayed in multiple training rooms, the students use portable radios, maps, floor plans, tactical worksheets, and other supporting aids to practice size-up, communications skills, incident management, safety, etc. The ICSC instructors are experienced, seasoned emergency personnel with real-world skills in handling such incidents. They will provide students challenging, rewarding, and enjoyable training. The ICSC is utilized in support of Fire Officer I, II, and III, Hazardous Materials Incident Commander, and Fire Department Incident Safety Officer classes and can also be used to complement and enhance EMS Officer, Hazardous Materials Technician, and other courses. In addition, company drills can be formulated to meet the needs of departments and their members. For those who find it impossible or impractical to attend training in College Park, MFRI has assembled a Mobile Simulation Lab (MSL). The kit contains many of the same resources used at the ICSC, including portable radios, maps, charts, vests, and other aids. The use of portable laptops and projectors allows us to offer a similar experience in areas remote from College Park. The mobile application has allowed us to take the training to many other audiences. Classes can be conducted at our MFRI regional facilities or, in some cases, at individual fire stations or other suitable locations. Schedules are flexible and can include evening and/or weekend classes to accommodate everyone’s needs. If your department is interested in training or obtaining further information, please contact mfri-simcenter@umd.edu