Skype training results in savings to village of Lombard
LOMBARD, Illinois—Training for the Lombard Fire Department sometimes means that the companies are traveling back and forth between stations. Thanks to an idea brought to the department's training committee by Lt. Chuck Faivre, fire companies are increasing their efficiency by saving time and fuel costs.
Faivre, a self-proclaimed techie, introduced the idea of using Skype for classroom training. According to their website, “Skype is for doing things together, whenever you're apart.”
“It just made sense to me,” said Faivre. “It saves time, gas and it keeps the companies in their area to respond to calls if necessary,” he added.
Faivre and the training team have been testing the Skype training for about two months. First beginning with a small webcam and a laptop computer, the Village has now invested in two smart TVs, one the firemen funded from the Foreign Fire Tax and one funded by the Fire Department's training budget.
“It's a different kind of training and takes some getting used to,” commented Faivre, “both for the instructor and those attending the training. As an instructor, you need to prepare and author the training differently because of how it's being presented,” he added.
“The department is changing,” Faivre said. “The firefighters are younger people and video is first hand for them. It's my observation that they are not afraid of the technology and they see the change to Skype training as no big deal,” he added.
Faivre has also considered the idea with the Fire Department training team to branch out and extend the Skype training to other Fire Departments. “It doesn't matter where you are located, the Skype training will accommodate our neighboring departments in the county,” Faivre pointed out. “We would all be able to benefit in the long run, especially if other departments adopt this method of training. We would be able to capitalize on the expertise of others,” Faivre added.
To his knowledge, Lombard is the only fire department utilizing Skype training.
The training is intended for smaller groups because of the technology, Faivre explained, and it's designed so that everyone is seen on camera. This way, instructors can get visual feedback and those participating in the training are more focused.
“Actually, since the training has to be thought out a bit more, we may be providing better training for our companies,” Faivre said.
Faivre's vision is that there would be a phase two to the Skype training where training would be able to include multi-media options.
“Skype has made me feel more engaged in the training,” said Josh Hays, a Skype training participant from Fire Station 2. “The smaller groups keep you more focused and it's better not to have to leave my station,” he added.
During the past few years, all Village departments have been looking at various ways to save money, reduce Village expenditures and combine resources yet still deliver the same quality services that Lombard residents expect to receive. The use of Skype for classroom training in the Lombard Fire Department is one such way that is being accomplished.