Expanding the Open Community in Online Public Safety Training

From our time as the Open Fire Academy to now as the OPS Institute, we have prided ourselves on the issue of being an “open” community. In an open community, everyone has a voice and everyone has a say. However, the transition from a fire academy to a more broader institute has required a much smaller group to create the strategic planning necessary to sustain as a organization. We are to the point now that we are ready to move that forward. So some changes to the way we meet and the Open-ness of this organization will evolve to represent who we are.

• Beginning June 5th, 2012, ALL leadership roles will now be involved in the weekly leadership team meetings. Dates, times, and call in information will be sent out. Meetings will be recorded for those unable to make it and posted for further discussion.
• Beginning July 3rd, 2012, the first meeting of each month will be an open meeting to anyone within the OPS Institute. This will be an opportunity for questions, discussions, and interaction to further the organization. Again, all meetings will be recorded and posted for those unable to make the call and for further discussion. All meeting times, dates, and access links will be posted on the website and circulated through this list.

As our organization continues to grow, we want to ensure full transparency with those that are a part of the OPS Institute. This includes students, instructors, and all stakeholders. The importance of being an “open” community is what is a critical part of such. Providing avenues for keeping the dialogue open is what will make us different than the others.