MPA Fire Administration and Public Safety Graduate Course

Public Safety and Fire Administration is a broad-based subject area that will touch on various aspects of managing in today’s public safety arena. 

Course Overview

Enroll in this course and review how the fire service has evolved into today’s greater Unified Command Model under the umbrella of Homeland Security. Students will examine how fire departments in Wisconsin are made-up, funded and managed. Discuss how the fire service has changed since 9-11 and what is in store for the future.

This course will meet face-to-face on five Saturdays (June 18 and 25, and July 16, 23 and 30) from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Instructor

Course instructor Peter O'Leary brings a high level of energy and passion to the course. O'Leary currently works as the Fire Chief for the Fond du Lac Fire Department.

Course Objectives

1. Examine and understand the history and development of public safety and fire organizations over the last 30 years and what influences public safety leadership in today’s public safety arena.
2. Develop a sound understanding of what knowledge is needed to properly administer a fire service organization.  Learn how internal and external influences can alter planning of a fire service organization by reviewing hiring practices, labor relations, budgeting and political influences.
3. Identify strategies to measure performance within a public safety organization in an effort to meet organizational objectives.
4. Demonstrate skill in applying the knowledge gained in this course through individual and group activities.
5. Identify the characteristics needed to properly affect organizational changes and the impact change has to an organization and how leadership influences outcomes.

More Information

For more information on the course, contact instructor Peter O'Leary at oleapet@iit.edu.

For more information about the MPA program, contact Karen King, associate professor, at kingk@uwosh.edu.