Siloam Springs Fire Department Chief Jeremy Criner was recognized at the city's board of directors July 2 meeting for completing the four year executive fire officer program via the U.S. Fire Administration.
The program takes applicants through a four-tiered training system that focuses on executive development, executive analysis of community risk reduction, emergency management and executive leadership.
"From a personal perspective, I knew there would be a lot of things I would learn personally in this field," Criner said. "I know a lot of individuals in the fire service career that I respect and have been through the program and I've heard their stories about what it's done for them and their community and department. So knowing that, I wanted to see what I'd get out of the program that, in turn, I could use to better our department and community."
Criner began his fire-fighting career as a volunteer in Valley Springs. When he relocated to Northwest Arkansas, he volunteered for the Cave Springs Volunteer Fire Department and served full-time for the Rogers Fire Department before transferring to an assistant chief position for a Missouri fire department. He became chief of the SSFD in July 2016.
Criner plans on leveraging what he's learned through the program to better benefit the community. What he's learned has already been applied; his time learning about community risk reduction influenced the decision to remodel, not relocate, fire station two, located off South Mount Olive Street, Criner said.
Criner is also recognized through the Commission on Professional Credentialing as a Chief Fire Officer and a Chief Training Officer.
General News on 07/17/2019