Innovative Emergency Services Training at NSA Naples

Photo By Lt. Jamie Moroney | Firefighters assigned to Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples Fire and Emergency Services Department pose for a group photo after a live fire drill at the fire department on board Support Site, Jan. 22, 2020. NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and southwest Asia. (U.S. Navy photo by NSA Naples Public Affairs)  

NAPLES, ITALY

01.22.2020

Story by Lt. Jamie Moroney 

U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples

NAPLES, Italy – The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples Fire and Emergency Services Department nears completion with a new form of training, translated into Italian, to standardize firefighting practices and increase operational readiness across NSA Naples, Jan. 22.
The training consisted of a Fire and Life Safety certification course conducted and evaluated by the Bucks County Community College and was held onboard Support Site.
Certifying and refreshing the skills already in practice by the NSA Naples Fire and Emergency Services Department (NSA FES) improves mission readiness and safety for the base. This course gives NSA FES a foundation to build upon with future advanced courses, and the ability to widen the scope of responsibilities to better serve the installation and local communities.
“Fire and Life Safety is a priority for us,” said NSA FES Training Officer Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Petty Officer Stephen Andujar. “The services we provide enable everyone on our base, from 6th Fleet to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, to carry out their mission 24/7.”
A unique challenge to being stationed in an overseas location is the language barrier. Most certifications and regulations are normally taught and written in English. NSA FES, in their dedication to excellence, came up with the creative solution to translate as much as possible to ensure maximum comprehension.
“We had to implement some ‘outside the box’ thinking to accomplish what we wanted to: 100% mission accomplishment and maximum readiness,” said Andujar. “We were able to have licensed translators come in to help alleviate some of the confusion with fire theory and practice, and had all lectures and testable material translated to Italian.”
Part of the training and evaluation consisted of testing overall comprehension and performance of required operational skills in order to meet U.S. industry standards set forth by the National Fire Protection Association.
The initial courses are validated by testing and skills. After the initial validation, NSA FES will follow-up on their goal of continuous improvement through proficiency checks in annual training plans, installation exercises, and audits from higher level agencies.
“Our Italian firefighters have done a phenomenal job in the course, and every objective was completed and passed above and beyond standards,” said NSA Naples Installation Fire Chief Nicholas Panzica. “Our diverse organization strives for continuous improvement and excellence in the services that we provide for our community.”
The certification course is the first of its kind for NSA Naples. The robust training program has involved over one year of planning and is being conducted fully over the course of three months. The course began in November of 2019 and will continue through February of 2020.
NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.
For more news on NSA Naples, please follow us on Instagram @NSANaples and Facebook at facebook.com/NSANaples/.

• Date Taken: 01.22.2020
• Date Posted: 01.29.2020 09:09
• Story ID: 360779
• Location: NAPLES, IT