Are you ready to take the next step in your fire service leadership journey? Critical thinking is one of the most powerful skills an aspiring fire officer can develop. It sharpens judgment, strengthens confidence, and helps leaders make sound decisions when the pressure is high and the stakes are real. VCOS is excited to offer the Critical Thinking Academy, a dynamic leadership-development experience designed to challenge, inspire, and prepare emerging fire service leaders for the responsibilities ahead.

Fire officers are called on to do more than react—they must lead, communicate, solve problems, and make decisions that impact crews, organizations, and communities. While training and experience help first responders make rapid decisions on the fire ground, the VCOS Critical Thinking Academy builds the deeper leadership skills needed away from the emergency scene as well. Participants will learn how to evaluate options, think strategically, navigate complex challenges, and make reasoned choices in areas such as team building, policy development, resource management, budgeting, community engagement, and organizational leadership. This course is an opportunity for aspiring fire officers to grow their leadership mindset, expand their influence, and prepare to serve with greater purpose, clarity, and confidence.

Participants will build the skills to:
• Step back with confidence to think clearly about complex, recurring, or high-impact problems.
• Know when to listen, ask better questions, keep an open mind, and move decisively toward solutions.
• Analyze challenges more efficiently and identify practical solutions that support people, operations, and mission success.
• Explain ideas and decisions clearly so teams understand the “why” behind the direction and can move forward together.
• Turn critical thinking into everyday leadership behaviors that build trust, credibility, and influence.

Great leaders are not developed by accident. They grow through intentional practice, honest feedback, and the willingness to apply new skills to real challenges. The Critical Thinking Academy (CTA) introduces core critical thinking skills and gives participants the opportunity to strengthen those skills through guided practice, practical application, and supportive coaching as they build new competencies and leadership confidence.
• CTA is built around three energizing in-person weekend learning sessions over six months, with focused asynchronous learning activities between sessions to keep momentum strong.
• The CTA experience begins with instructor-guided exploration, seminar discussions, and small-group work that lay the foundation for each participant to complete an independent project focused on a problem or challenge that matters to them or their department.

• Participants should be members in good standing of a volunteer or combination fire department; volunteer and career personnel are welcome.
• There are no academic prerequisites for student participation, though CTA is intended for people who have demonstrated good judgment and exhibit the potential to become successful decision-makers and leaders.
• Interested participants should complete this application, which includes an affirmation of support for their participation from their chief or department leadership.
• Participants must attend all three in-person sessions, which will be held over a full day on a Saturday and a half day on a Sunday.
• Participants also should plan to spend roughly 30 minutes a week practicing key skills (this can be done in the course of regular duties) and to spend several one- or two-hour periods between the CTA class meetings to work on their independent projects, including through check-ins with CTA faculty.
• Costs to participants in the pilot program include student transportation to class sessions, any lodging or incidental costs as needed, and reduced pilot registration ree: $500.  VCOS are pleased to provide classroom accommodation, student breakfasts, and lunches during in-person class sessions.