Rules & Regulations
Conformance to the following rules and regulations is essential to the efficient and safe operation of the Sussex County Community College Public Safety Training Academy. All students attending training at the PSTA shall familiarize themselves with and will be held responsible for compliance with these rules and regulations. Any student failing to follow the rules of the PSTA is subject to dismissal from any class, suspension from any course, or other disciplinary actions deemed appropriate.
Course Registration
1. All course registrations shall only be accepted via the online website registration form.
2. Students/Departments will receive a course registration acknowledgment via email, confirming the student(s) in the course.
3. Confirmation emails shall be sent out as soon as possible or at the PSTA Director’s discretion.
4. The PSTA has a 72-hour class withdrawal or cancellation policy from the start date/time of the course.
5. Failure to adhere to the cancellation policy will result in the student/department being billed for the roster spot.
6. Waitlists will be established when applicable. Every attempt shall be made by the PSTA to fill vacated seats utilizing this list and/or a social media posting.
7. Departments may substitute one member for another member who needs to withdraw, provided the cancellation is before 72 hours.
Injuries / Illness
1. Any injury or illness that occurs on the PSTA premises must be reported to the administrative office or a representative immediately.
2. Emergency Medical Care will be rendered as required.
• A student’s department will be notified of an illness or injury with specific attention being given to safeguarding the student’s confidentiality about the specific nature of the illness/injury.
3. Personnel or students will fill out an appropriate SCCC | PSTA accident/injury form.
4. Injured students participating in a class with a physical component may not return to class without a written clearance from their attending physician, which specifically states the student’s ability to return to training without restriction.
Dress Code
1. Classroom attire for Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2 will be:
• Academy-issued short sleeve or long sleeve tee style shirt appropriate for that class
• Dark blue Uniform style pants (100% Cotton) Dickeys / Dockers
• Black belt
• Black socks – full height
• Black work shoes or boots
2. Classroom attire for students attending any other training shall wear a department Class B or similar uniform.
• Business attire is acceptable in place of a department uniform.
• Attire that is deemed to be offensive or culturally insensitive shall be cause for removal from any PSTA class.
Appearance
1. Uniforms shall be kept neat and clean
2. Shirts shall be tucked in at all times
3. Pants shall not be bloused in boots
Tobacco Products
1. There is no smoking on the PSTA grounds beyond the entrance gate. This includes smokeless tobacco or e-cigarettes of any kind.
Parking
1. Students are to park within the General Parking area.
Driving
1. The speed limit on the Academy premises is 5 MPH.
2. Students driving on the PSTA premises shall have their driver’s window opened and radio off and shall be alert for and yield to any class in the driving/parking areas or any pedestrian traffic.
General
1. The use of stimulants, intoxicants, and/or the illegal use of any drug or substance, is strictly prohibited on PSTA property.
• Reporting to the PSTA after having used any of the above will be construed as being used during training hours and will result in automatic dismissal.
2. Students are not to stand or sit with their feet against the walls, on tables or chairs, or mark, alter, or damage any PSTA property.
3. Students shall not interfere with any other class in session. Proper decorum shall be exercised at all times.
4. Any act or behavior pattern deemed prejudicial to the good order and discipline of the class, including but not limited to talking out of turn during class, or sleeping during class, may result in dismissal from the PSTA.
5. Students are expected to clean up after themselves; soda cans, coffee cups, newspapers, etc., are to be placed in the proper receptacles provided for regular trash or recyclables.
6. The use of profane or discriminatory language and/or gestures is strictly prohibited.
7. The display of any offensive, profane, or discriminatory items/materials is strictly prohibited, this includes any item of dress deemed to be suggestive or offensive.
8. Physical contact between students is strictly prohibited except in instances where it is necessary to accomplish a class objective, such as carries/drags.
Academic Integrity
1. Any student who is found cheating or has been determined to have cheated on any test or exam shall be immediately dismissed from that class, and the agency who generated the exam or test shall be immediately notified.
2. Any student who is found to have plagiarized any work of another author or previous student shall be dismissed from that class.
3. Any recruit who shares the content of any exam or written assignment shall be subject to dismissal from that class.
4. The State Division of Fire Safety will be duly advised of any infractions involving a State sanctioned exam.
Attendance
1. Attendance at any Firefighter 1/2 Class Orientation is mandatory. Failing to attend an orientation shall be grounds to be dismissed from that class.
2. Classes will begin promptly at 7:30 PM on weeknights and 8:30 A.M. weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays unless otherwise specified. Students are to arrive at class on time and prepared to take notes.
• A student who arrives more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time of a class will not be permitted entry into that class unless prior arrangements have been made with the point of contact/senior instructor.
• Students arriving late must report their attendance to the instructor and shall sign in at the designated time.
3. Students who are absent for more than three (3) sessions in any course will have to repeat the entire course. All make-ups must be authorized by the PSTA Director and no walk-ins will be allowed.
• A student in the Firefighter 1, and Firefighter 2 programs who miss a class shall have an Absence Verification Form completed by their Chief or designated company officer, which shall be returned to the Academy upon their return to class.
• Due to the complex nature of most practical sessions, make-up sessions may only take place during another scheduled session or pre-arraigned time as per the Director of the PSTA.
4. A student may not move on to the next practical session when a session missed has been deemed relevant and a prerequisite for a subsequent module, where safety might be compromised without having attended it.
5. Final examinations, practical or written, will not be taken by any student until all sessions have been completed.
Academic Requirements
1. Recruits are required to maintain pace with any class assignments, quizzes, online participation, and/or workbooks. Failure to do so may require remedial measures and could result in dismissal from the class.
2. A score of 70% is necessary to complete any PSTA or State written exam unless otherwise noted.
3. A score of 70% or greater shall be required to pass any State, Pro-Board/IFSAC, or PSTA practical exam.
4. Students with a reading disability (i.e., comprehension, perception, illiteracy) should notify the instructor immediately. Accommodations in assisting the student with course content will be made where and when it is practical.
• ADA regulations and the State’s Division of Fire Safety provide for certain accommodations to be made in testing.
Breaks
Break times are set at the discretion of the instructor. Food and/or beverages are prohibited in the auditorium, lecture rooms, classrooms, or corridors. Coffee breaks are to be taken in the lunchrooms unless prior permission has been granted for in-room breaks.
Student Personal Safety
1. Cosmetics are not permitted during live fire training evolutions.
2. CFR 1910.120 & CFR 1910.134 “Facial Hair” are FEDERAL REGULATIONS. Strict compliance will be enforced for all training occurring at the PSTA.
3. Students participating in any training where a respirator is to be used must have completed an OSHA Respiratory exam. They shall provide proof by PSTA | Department form or an acceptable form that they are certified as medically fit to wear a respirator by a medical professional before the start of that class.
4. A valid Fit-Test must also be provided in any class where the student will be utilizing a respirator. A valid certificate is not greater than 12 months before the end date of the course.
5. Jewelry shall not be worn during any practical class application (Exempted are Medical Alert devices provided they do not interfere with safe operations).
6. Hair shall not extend below the collar at any time during the classroom or practical sessions.
• Wigs or hair extensions will not be worn.
7. Caffeine consumption should be curtailed at least eight hours before any class with a physical component. Any student participating in a class with a physical component may not consume any caffeine-enriched supplement or beverage during the class.
8. Any student taking a medication, prescribed or over-the-counter, which has known potential side effects that may affect their safety and participation in class activities, is to notify PSTA staff before participation in any session.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
1. Levels of PPE required for a class shall be determined by the PSTA commensurate with the content of the course and the potential for exposure to injury.
2. All firefighters’ Personal Protective Equipment must comply with current OSHA and NFPA standards.
3. All PPE shall be maintained and shall be fully functional as designed and shall be free of any defect including rips, tears, missing reflective striping, snaps, zippers, buttons, or Velcro which no longer fastens as designed.
4. Helmets shall not have excessive adornments contrary to NFPA guidance, nor shall
5. Firefighting gloves should be compatible with the coats they are being worn with, i.e. wristlets are required on gloves where there are no thumb-holes in the coat wristlets.
6. Students with any facial hair that interferes, or potentially interferes with the face-to-face piece seal will not be permitted to participate.
Cellular Phones / Radios / Pagers
1. The use of cellular phones is prohibited and shall be left in the student’s vehicles or the off position. Phones may be used only during designated breaks or after the class has been dismissed.
• In the event of an emergent communication, the student shall notify the instructor to arrange the use of the phone.
2. Any radio necessary for the performance of a student’s duties shall be kept at a minimum volume and shall not disturb a class.
3. Pagers shall be placed on silent/vibrate and pager/portable radio audio for on-duty personnel shall be set so as not to interfere with the performance of the class.
Electronics Devices
1. The use of personal computers, tablets, PDAs, or similar devices to take notes is acceptable. Note: There is limited access to power sources in some classrooms and it is suggested that these devices be fully charged.
2. Devices used for these purposes should have any alerting or keystroke indicators silenced during class.
Photography
Notice: Photography Prohibition at the Public Safety Training Academy
All training activities conducted at the Public Safety Training Academy strictly prohibit any external organization or individual from taking photographs during the training sessions. These sessions are crucial for imparting essential skills to attendees.
By participating in the training sessions, both the organization and attendees acknowledge and agree that no images capturing the trainees' likeness, voice, or appearance may be included in any form of promotional media, including but not limited to pictures, photos, video recordings, audiotapes, digital images, print productions, testimonials, etc., without prior written consent from the Public Safety Training Academy.
Photography taken by the Public Safety Training Academy is the source of photos that may be used to highlight the training taking place at the Academy.
