p stylemargin 0px text-align center font-family TimesstrongPro Board Press Releasestrongpp stylemargin 0px font-family TimesThe Susquehanna Hose Company recently completed a 3 year process of ensuring it members are Pro Board certified.nbsp The Susquehanna Hose Company is pleased to announce that we have just recently surpassed the 700 mark for National Certifications of its firefighters.nbsp Our members currently hold 734 Pro Board National Certifications.nbsp We felt a need to ensure the Citizens of Havre de Grace and Harford County that they were receiving the finest trained firefighters and officers available.nbsp This process included obtaining 84 certifications in 2011 197 in 2012 and 129 in 2013.nbsp The Susquehanna Hose Company has always been a very highly trained fire department.nbsp The current membership of 110 firefighters has taken 1242 Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute Classes totaling 55545 hours. nbsppp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family TimesThe following is a statement from the Pro Boards Websitenbsp nbsp nbsppp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family TimesCertification and placement on the National Register works to serve both the individual who is certified and the department that he or she serves. nbsp In a profession which is highly decentralized certification provides the individual with a sense of accomplishment and draws the fire service as a whole into a much closer alliance. nbsp As an incentive to professional growth and advancement certification proves that the member is highly motivated and serious about measuring up to national standards. nbsppp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family TimesThere are also many reasons why having nationally certified members improves the departments for which they work.nbsp First the respect reputation and prestige of such professional organizations will expand in proportion to their number of certified members.nbsp These departments will have officers and civilian professionals whose credibility is unquestionable.nbsp Overall departments and services that teach to the standards and expect members to become certified will become stronger entities.nbsppp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family TimesPro Board recognized certification from an accredited entity is a statement of success an indisputable mark of performance belonging to individual fire service professionals. Each successful candidate for certification from an accredited entity knows that he or she has been measured against peers and meets rigorous national standards. In addition the credibility of an organization is enhanced by having members certified to national consensus standards.nbspnbsppp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family TimesiAccording to Michael W. Robinson- Chairman of the Maryland Fire Service Personnel Qualifications Boardnbsp The volume of certifications obtained by the SHCO over the past several years is simply remarkable and unprecedented among volunteer departments within Marylandnbsp Robinson further stated that Validation of firerescue competencies through a national credentialing process illustrates the professionalism and commitment of the 110 active members of the SHCO through achievement ofnbsp 734 statenational certifications.nbspnbspnbspnbspipp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family TimesIn addition to the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute classes and the Pro Board certifications the Susquehanna Hose Companys members also hold over 600 FEMA National Incident Management Courses.nbsp All members hold the required ICS 100-200-700 certificates as well as all Officers holding ICS 300-400 management certificates.nbsp The Susquehanna Hose Company also has 54 currently certified EMT-Bs and 56 Fire Officer Is. nbsppp stylemargin 5px 0px font-family Times min-height 14pxThe Susquehanna Hose Company is a ISO Class 2 certified fire department as of July of 2010 and is responsible for fire and rescue protection in the City of Havre de Grace in Harford County.nbsp The Susquehanna Hose Company has responded the each call alerted for since its inception in 1902 and averages over 40 members per call.nbsp In addition the Susquehanna Hose Companys average at location time from time of dispatch is under 3 minutes.nbsp This ISO Class 2 certification manpower and response times along with the training standards recently obtained is a testament of the dedication and hard work by the members of the Susquehanna Hose Company. nbspbrppp
