Burn Boss Certification (Curriculum Development Cadre/Curriculum Validation Cadre)

Overview
In September 2018, Governor Brown signed legislation (SB 1260, Jackson. Fire Prevention and Protection: Prescribed Burns) which requires CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) with the involvement of the Statewide Training and Education Advisory Committee (STEAC), shall develop a curriculum for, or amend into an existing curriculum, a certification program for burn bosses. The curriculum shall provide for the initial certification as well as the continuing education of burn bosses.

The OSFM State Fire Training Division (SFT) is forming a curriculum development cadre and a curriculum validation cadre to implement the Burn Boss curriculum and certification utilizing the 2012 State Fire Training Curriculum Development Model. The curriculum development cadre (estimated 8 persons) will meet in person to shape the draft curriculum, certification requirements, and begin discussing the implementation plan for the certification. The curriculum validation cadre (estimated 15 persons) will meet in person to review, revise as needed, and validate content of the draft curriculum, certification requirements, and the implementation plan for the certification. Additionally, the cadres will evaluate current instructor requirements, and recommend changes, if needed.

Cadre Meetings
As subject matter experts, cadre members play a key role in evaluating, developing, and validating curriculum document content, and anticipating how curriculum changes will impact the various audiences that use or interact with SFT curriculum and processes. During curriculum development meetings, which often occur over several multiday sessions, cadre members work with the cadre lead and editor to fully develop the curriculum documents. The cadre members also begin to develop the implementation plan that SFT will use to launch the new curriculum. The curriculum development meetings operate like hands-on workgroups, with active participation from all members in analyzing and developing content and anticipating its impact. Cadre members for the Cadre are expected to:

•Have significant expertise in the field addressed by the curriculum content
•Respect others and work well in a collaborative environment
•Support SFT and serve as an ambassador for the curriculum document project
•Must be available to attend all scheduled meetings
•Must be willing to complete pre- and post-meeting assignments

Participation
All meetings are held in Sacramento, CA. Funding for cadre member expenses is provided by State Fire Training. All travel, room and board expenses will be facilitated by and paid directly by California State University, Sacramento (CSUS); per diem and mileage will be reimbursed by CSUS.

Meeting Dates

The Burn Boss Cadres will be meeting two times, for one week each month (one selection of dates in July, and a second meeting in September): 
•Curriculum Development Cadre: July 23-26 or July 30-August 2nd
•Curriculum Validation Cadre: September 10-13 or September 24-27th

Applicant Selection
SFT will notify applicants if they have been selected for the curriculum development cadre and/or curriculum validation cadre in mid-May. Some Curriculum Development Cadre members will also serve on the curriculum validation cadre.

Application
If you would like to participate, please click the red "Apply Now" below on this webpage. The deadline to submit cadre applications is 11:59pm on April 7, 2019.

For any questions about the cadre, please email SFT.Acadisonline@fire.ca.gov.