Training / Safety

Training/Safety Division Responsibilities

The Training/Safety Division is responsible for the initial and ongoing training of all personnel and is managed by the Battalion Chief of Training/Safety. The Poway Fire Department places firefighter safety, and training its members, at the forefront to ensure the highest level of service is provided to the community.

Firefighter Training

The Training and Professional Development Program encompasses all department training activities and is established to develop and maintain quality training and proficiency in all job requirements for fire department personnel. This is accomplished through an annual training plan that identifies the goals and objectives each year. The Training Division uses software programs to manage the documentation of personnel training hours, subject training targets, and the delivery of required online training.

Another important element of professional development is the opportunity to access reference materials that promote learning, reinforces job knowledge, and provides manipulative skill instruction. The Poway Fire Department has established a library of books and reference material at each fire station.

All Poway firefighters perform a multitude of training activities when hired by the Department, which is outlined in the Firefighter/Paramedic Probation Manual. This manual is used to assist in developing and evaluating probationary firefighter/paramedics during their one-year probation period. It outlines program components, roles and responsibilities, evaluation instructions and criteria, designated testing blocks and an examination schedule. The newly hired probationary firefighter/paramedic's employment is expressly contingent upon the successful completion of the probationary period.

Fire Department Facilities

The department is extremely proud to have quality training facilities to support training and professional development activities. The Poway Fire Department has two classrooms, located at Fire Station #1 and Fire Station #3, which are equipped with integrated audiovisual systems designed to support effective, high quality learning environments. The Department also has a state of the art, five-story Fire Training Tower located in the Poway Business Park. The five–story Fire Training Tower, and surrounding area, occupies over 1 acre and consists of the latest systems creating "hands-on" training scenarios for Poway firefighters. These features include:

  • 5 stories of varying floor plans with interior and exterior stairways
  • Specialized burn room for "live fires"
  • Rooftop ventilation prop
  • Below-ground cistern with 65,000 gallons of water supplying on-site fire hydrants
  • Water collection system with ozone filtration and treatment
  • Fire sprinkler system and standpipe system with fire department connections
  • An artificial smoke delivery system with red lighting to simulate fire scenarios
  • Multiple anchor points throughout for technical rope rescue training
  • Prop area for specialized training
  • Fire equipment storage room
  • Large drill ground area for hose and ladder evolutions

Firefighter Recruitment

The Poway Fire Department participates in signed subscription agreements with the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (CFFJAC) program. The CFFJAC is a joint labor/management apprenticeship program that exists to improve the quality of education and training within the fire service and sets a professional standard for firefighters throughout the state of California. 

Firefighter Candidate Testing Center