The Strategic Programs and Safety Division, led by Assistant Chief Nicholas Hosford, supports the fire department’s overall mission through Training, Recruitment, Diversity and Inclusion, EMS Compliance, Safety, Grants, Information Technology and Communications.

Training 

The Dayton Fire Training Center provides training and education for the members of the Dayton Fire Department to develop, maintain and elevate the skills necessary to deliver high quality, safe and customer service driven fire protection and emergency medical services. The DFD Training Center is a State of Ohio Chartered teaching institution for Firefighter, Fire Inspector and Emergency Medical Technician education. We are the primary source of training and education for all new Fire and E.M.S. recruits hired into the D.F.D.  An expansive campus of fire training props, classrooms, and administrative offices located at 200 McFadden Ave. provides the setting for the Training Center staff to fulfill the broad educational needs of the department.

Through a partnership with Dayton Public Schools, the D.F.D. also facilitates a Career Technical Education (CTE) program that allows students to complete training and obtain certification as a firefighter and EMT while still in high school.

Information Technology and Communications 

The Information Technology unit supports and maintains all computer software and hardware used in both the firehouses and onboard the emergency apparatus. This in-house capability allows us to ensure constant connectivity across all platforms helping to maintain state certifications via online training, effective communication across the Department and City, efficient data flow between the apparatus and emergency dispatchers, and communications with area hospitals. In addition, the IT unit facilitates EMS billing by coordinating with our external billing partner to guarantee accurate information is reported through the healthcare exchange server. The Tech Unit also provides the Fire Department Command staff and City Hall with data analytics such as incident analysis, personnel staffing estimates, trend analysis, and quality management. This data helps drive decisions that influence the department and the city.

The Communications unit is responsible for managing the radios, and radio integration, across all departments citywide. With over 1500 portable and mobile radios to maintain, the communications section handles programming, installation, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs keeping the city's vital communications platform current and stable. The City is also a participant in the MARCs system, and the Communications Unit manages the user fees and contract agreement allowing statewide interoperability in the event of a natural or manmade disaster response. In addition to the radios, this unit manages fire station alerting, and is overseeing the installation and rollout of Locution, the department's new station alerting system.

EMS Compliance

The EMS Compliance section is responsible for overseeing the major components of the EMS system for the Fire Department. One critical job is HIPAA compliance and records management, ensuring all policies and procedures in place are compliant, with all local, state and federal laws, and are being followed by all employees. The EMS Compliance section also facilitates contracts for EMS equipment maintenance, repair, and/or replacement, as well as researches new equipment available to assist personnel with EMS delivery. The Compliance section also works in conjunction with the department's Medical Director to oversee the EMS Quality Improvement/Quality Management program. This program focuses on non-disciplinary case review to identify areas where improvement is needed to ensure excellence in EMS care.

Safety

The D.F.D. Health & Safety section is staffed by a Fire Lieutenant assigned at the Training Center and manages a comprehensive array of programs designed to increase the operational safety, career longevity, and long-term health of D.F.D. members. The Health & Safety Officer responds to major working fire and rescue incidents as needed, serves as the department’s Infection Control Officer, and is the primary liaison with many outside agencies and vendors that participate in member health programs and personal protective equipment (PPE) maintenance. In addition, the Health & Safety Officer manages the inventory of the department’s emergency scene accountability system, the “Healthy Heroes” athletic training program, Peer Support & Peer Fitness programs, annual NFPA 1582 physicals, and injury investigations.

MMRS (Metropolitan Medical Response System)

The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) program assists highly populated jurisdictions to develop plans, conduct training and exercises, and acquire pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment, to achieve the enhanced capability necessary to respond to a mass casualty event caused by a WMD terrorist act. This assistance supports the jurisdictions' activities to increase their response capabilities during the first hours crucial to lifesaving and population protection, with their own resources, until significant external assistance can arrive. Gaining these capabilities also increases the preparedness of the jurisdictions for a mass casualty event caused by an incident involving hazardous materials, an epidemic disease outbreak, or a natural disaster. MMRS fosters an integrated, coordinated approach to medical response planning and operations, as well as medical incident management at the local level.

Emergency Planning

The Emergency Planner for the City of Dayton is responsible for the City of Dayton’s Emergency Operations Centers, the Emergency Operations Plans, training of City personnel in emergency management, and coordinating with outside agencies like the Montgomery County Emergency Management, and the Montgomery/Greene County Local Emergency Response Council, Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County, and Homeland Security. This role has been a crucial component in the preparation, coordination, and management of numerous disasters, large-scale events, and protests in the past several years. The Emergency Planner ensures that all pertinent city staff are trained and prepared in their areas of responsibility to support a comprehensive disaster response and mitigation effort. The preparation that occurred in 2018 drastically improved the capabilities and response of the city during the crisis, tragedies, and pandemics of 2019-2020.