Aspiring and acting officers
Members preparing for formal supervisory responsibility or already filling acting assignments.
CTS Fire Officer Development Program
Company Officer Foundations
A 48-hour professional development program for aspiring, acting, newly appointed, and developing company officers. The program covers leadership, crew supervision, training, safety, administration, community responsibilities, and incident command.
Program Scope
Program scope
Company Officer Foundations connects day-to-day supervisory responsibilities with the operational duties expected of a company officer.
Officer Role, Ethics and TrustRole transition, authority, credibility, judgment, and expectations.
Crew Leadership and CultureStandards, delegation, accountability, trust, and crew climate.
Communication, Coaching and ConflictCoaching conversations, conflict resolution, listening, and clarity.
Training, Performance and DocumentationDrill planning, observation, feedback, records, and performance follow-through.
Safety, Risk, Health and WellnessRisk decisions, unsafe acts, near misses, fatigue, rehab, and officer intervention.
Administration, Policy, Legal and LaborPolicies, reports, confidentiality, complaints, escalation, and local overlays.
Community Relations, Prevention and InvestigationsPublic communication, preplanning, inspection awareness, origin-and-cause preservation, and notifications.
Incident Command and Critical EventsSize-up, command, strategy, resources, accountability, PAR, MAYDAY, mutual aid, and transfer.
How It Is Delivered
Delivery and assessment
The program uses instruction, case work, written assignments, practical exercises, evaluator feedback, and review. Completion is based on more than a single written test.
Department participationDepartments can use a managed cohort with local policies, procedures, reporting expectations, and implementation support incorporated where appropriate.
Individual participationIndividual learners use the same core objectives, assessments, practical standards, and completion requirements through CTS Learning.
TACTRIUM™ Integration
TACTRIUM™ practical exercises
TACTRIUM™ practical exercises are used for incident command objectives that benefit from simulation. Instructors and evaluators observe decisions, communications, resource use, and changes in strategy, then carry those observations into the after-action review.
Simulation is one part of the program
TACTRIUM™ is used where simulation supports the objective. Leadership, communication, administration, coaching, written work, and other supervisory responsibilities are taught and evaluated through other methods.
Who It Is For
Who the program is for
New lieutenants and captains
Newly appointed officers making the transition from firefighter or senior member into a formal leadership role.
Developing incumbent officers
Officers who need a refresher, development plan, or broader foundation across the company officer role.
Program standards and completion documentation
CTS completion records identify the Company Officer Foundations program edition and the work completed. Any external certification, accreditation, academic credit, or promotional authority is identified only when formally established by the applicable organization or authority.
Plan your participation
Review the current program requirements, delivery options, fees, and enrollment arrangements on CTS Learn. Contact CTS to discuss individual participation or a department group.