Government » Public Health & Safety » Emergency Services Training Academy

Policies and Regulations

Font Size: + -
Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option
Print
PREREQUISITES
  •  Prerequisites are indicated in the course description section for each Academy. Please make sure your personnel have successfully completed all necessary prerequisites before signing up for a class.
    If a person has taken a course which is a prerequisite for an Academy course from an institution other than the Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy (ESTA), he or she must supply documentation of this at time of application. Copies of certificates for these courses must accompany the course application in order to receive equivalency credit for that course.
REGISTRATION
  • Registration forms must be completely filled out and submitted prior to the start of the class. NO WALK-INS WILL BE PERMITTED!
    • If you have personnel you wish to enroll in a course, return the application form for that course.
    • Please use the full legal name of the student on the application form instead of nicknames or initials.
CONFIRMATIONS
  •  Course confirmations will be sent to the sponsoring agency approximately 15 days prior to the start of the course. Please submit appropriate payment (check or purchase order) upon receipt of the course confirmation and invoice. 
CANCELLATION POLICY
  •  You will be billed for each person registered for a course.
SUBSTITUTIONS
  •  If you discover that a person who has preregistered cannot attend a course, you may send a substitute, as long as he/she has met the prerequisites for that course.
ATTENDANCE
  •  Students are responsible for signing the roster for each lesson to assure receiving credit for the course. Make-up students are required to sign the make-up class roster and complete a make-up form with their original class number in order to receive credit.
  • In order to be evaluated or to be issued a certificate of completion, 100% attendance is required.
  • Any student reporting late for class shall report to the lead instructor before reporting to class. Habitual tardiness without a valid excuse will result in the student being dropped from the course.
  • Any student missing more than three (3) of the lessons in any course will be dropped from that course and will be required to reapply for that course the next time it is run.
  • No student shall leave the Academy prior to class dismissal without permission from the lead instructor of the program.
MAKEUP POLICY: FIREFIGHTER I & II, FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTOR
  •  Lessons missed in a Firefighter I or II class must be made up within 18 months (unless over 3 sessions).
  • It is the student's responsibility to contact the Academy for the dates of the missed class.
  • The student must sign the class roster, complete a make-up form,  and also indicate the prior class number in order to receive credit for the session.
  • When all missed lessons have been successfully completed the student will be awarded a certificate.
CLASSES UNDER 30 HOURS
  •  There will be no make up for classes less than 30 hours. A student is responsible to attend all classes. If you are unable to attend all classes than the entire class must be repeated at the student's expense.
 CLASS HOURS:
  • Classes will begin promptly at 7:00 PM for evening courses, 8:00 AM for day and weekend courses, and 9:00 AM for day and weekend EMS programs.
 
DRESS CODE & PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:
  • INDOOR COURSES
    •  Casual, but neat clothing is permitted. No hats are allowed. 

  •  OUTDOOR COURSES
    • Comfortable clothing is suggested for outdoor programs. Clothing may become soiled by outdoor activities, so dress appropriately. No shorts, cutoffs, skirts, or dresses. Trousers and long sleeve shirts are suggested. No open-toed footwear is allowed. 

  • JEWELRY
    • For any live burn activities, No jewelry may be worn. This includes earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or rings.  
    • Note: Medic Alert bracelets and necklaces are exempt.

  • PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
    • All protective clothing worn must meet OSHA (29 CFR 1910.156) and New Jersey PEOSHA requirements. 

  • BEARDS, BREATHING APPARATUS, AND SMOKE OR LIVE BURN EVOLUTIONS
    • No one who has facial hair shall be permitted to participate in any courses that require the use of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). This includes any flammable gas or liquid evolutions. This is according to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134,NFPA 1500,Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health, Sec.5-3.10 PEOSHA and MFCA policy.

  • HAIR LENGTH
    • Any student participating in live fire training, who comes with hair that extends below his or her collar must arrange it so that it does not fall below the collar. Hair enclosed in an OSHA approved hood is acceptable. 

  • SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS (SCBA)
    • For any courses requiring the use of SCBA, it shall be the student's responsibility to provide his or her own, plus a spare air cylinder. The Academy has a limited amount of SCBA equipment and that is dedicated to Instructor use and for demonstration purposes only. The academy will refill any student's air cylinder, provided it has an up-to-date hydrostatic test date on it. 

  • PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS OF STUDENTS
    • Due to the physical requirements of the job for which these skills are being taught and the nature of the job itself, any student who would pose a direct threat to the health or safety to themselves and/or to others shall not be admitted to the class. Students shall not be given credit for any unit of instruction in which they did not actively participate. Students who do not actively participate in any portion of the class will not be given a certificate of completion for the class and will not be eligible to return for other courses for which the uncompleted class is a prerequisite. 
    • The aforesaid rules shall conform to the requirements of the A.D.A.

  • STUDENT/ORGANIZATION LIABILITY RESPONSIBILITY
    • It is the responsibility of each organization using the Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy for training or any other purpose, to provide a certificate of insurance from its insurance company prior to the drill. This certificate of insurance shall contain the following information:
      • Liability insurance in a minimum value of $1,000,000.
      • A 30-day cancellation clause must be on this certificate.
      • The County of Somerset shall be named as an additional insured.
      • The certificate of insurance holder shall be the Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy.
      • A new certificate of insurance must be submitted upon expiration of the existing insurance certificate.
      • Payment for any and all medical, first aid, and related charges shall be the responsibility of the student's or user's sponsoring organization.

  • GENERAL CERTIFICATION
    • Certificates will be awarded for all courses three hours in length or longer.

  • RECORDS
    • A training file will be established for all students who successfully complete a ESTA certificate course. Copies of this certificate, will be disseminated only at the written request of the student. 

  • STUDENT CONDUCT
    • Students shall be courteous and disciplined. Proper decorum shall be observed at all times toward fellow students, academy staff, and instructors. Eating and drinking must be confined to the cafeteria area only. No food or drink is permitted in classrooms.
    • Students are responsible for maintaining all books, equipment, apparatus and buildings made available for their use.
    • The following are prohibited: Abusive, profane or obscene language or behavior; horseplay or any disturbance during class; any form of gambling; sexual harassment; use; possession or introduction of any intoxicants; or reporting to class under the influence of intoxicants, fighting, cheating on quizzes or exams.
    • Anyone who exhibits the aforementioned will be expelled from the Academy and its property.
    • Books, papers or other materials on the instructor's desk, podium or chalkboard are for the use of the ESTA staff only.

  • SMOKING
    • Smoking is prohibited anywhere in the administration building and inside the fenced-in training area. This includes any of the restrooms. Anyone wishing to smoke must do so outdoors in the designated smoking area. Chewing tobacco is also prohibited in the classrooms and on the training grounds.

  • RESTROOMS
    • Men's and women's restrooms are located in the administration building, just off the main hallway, near classrooms C and D next to the cafeteria.

  • TRASH/RECYCLABLES
    • Please place all trash in the proper receptacles. These are located throughout the facility. Any refuse which is considered recyclable shall be placed in the appropriate container.

  • PAGERS and RADIO EQUIPMENT
    • All radio receivers and pagers shall be in the OFF position during instruction periods.

  • FIRE & EMS CALLS
    • Fire & EMS calls will not be considered an excuse for being late or missing a lesson. Any student who is attending a course at the Academy is expected to be on time for any course he or she is attending. Unless specifically called by his or her department, no student shall leave for an incident in his or her response district.

  • USE of SIRENS and OTHER AUDIBLE EQUIPMENT
    • No one visiting and/or attending any Academy course or programs shall use sirens or other audible devices while entering, leaving, or while on any part of ESTA property.

  • PARKING
    • Students will park only in areas that are designed for student parking in the front of the main building.
    • Students are prohibited from parking in the following areas:
      • In the fire lane in front of the main building. 
      • All parking spaces marked for Handicapped Parking. 
      • Inside the fireground area.

  • ACADEMY CLOSINGS
    • If, for any reason, ESTA is forced to suspend operations (inclement weather, natural disaster, etc.) notice of the closing will be posted on the Academy website, or  you may call (908) 725-5070.
    • Every effort will be made to reschedule suspended classes at the earliest available date. Students will be informed of the rescheduling when the class next meets.