The Pennsylvania State Fire Academy recently accredited two Bradford area firefighters as state fire instructors.

Tim Burkhouse, second assistant chief of the Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Department, and Chris Spaich, firefighter/paramedic with the Bradford City Fire Department, joined the ranks of more than 1,300 instructors in the commonwealth.

The two are good friends and have devoted hundreds of hours each to attain this goal. They bring the number of active instructors in McKean County up to seven, the other five being Bruce Manning, Lanny Layton, Mike Johnson, Mike Burgoon and Matt Rettger.

Burkhouse and Spaich were both accredited as non-suppression instructors in spring 2016. To attain this, a candidate must have eight years of fire service experience after their 18th birthday; submit a detailed resume; have successfully completed an adult methodology education course of at least 35 hours and approved by the PSFA; submit current clearance from child abuse and criminal record check reports; have more than 100 hours of training, with at least 50 hours in the specialty track in which they wish to instruct; possess a Fire Instructor I certification; submit three letters of professional reference; successfully complete the National Fire Academy’s incident safety officer course of 16 hours; and participate in an interview with a fire services education specialist/field supervisor.

In late 2016, they were upgraded to suppression instructors. This requires that they have completed an additional 150 hours of training in the Fire Academy’s suppression track; possess Fire Fighter II and Fire Instructor II certifications; complete one of the following: engine company operations at residential structures for 32.5 contact hours, fire operations at large structures for 32.5 contact hours or an equivalent municipal or military course; successfully complete the suppression instructor development course for 44 hours; and receive approval from the Instructor Review Committee and the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy assistant administrator.

Then they must go through the Mentor Program and teach with seasoned instructors before they can be a lead instructor for that specific course. In the span of any one year they must instruct a minimum of 32 hours and complete a minimum eight hours of continuing professional education, as well as conform to the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy code of professionalism.

Educational Training Agencies (ETAs) throughout the commonwealth then hire them to instruct courses at individual fire departments, county fire schools and industrial facilities.

Butler County Community College’s ETA northwest fire training representative, Lanny Layton, acknowledged the two professionals’ accomplishments.

“It’s much more complicated and time consuming now than it was in 1980 when I was accredited,” said Layton. “I’m proud of these two men for the commitment they made and the dedication they’ve shown to become state fire instructors. They’re both well trained, well disciplined and will definitely have an impact on hundreds, if not thousands, of firefighters during the course of their careers. They are a very welcome addition to our ranks.”