Fire District Captain Accepted into Exclusive National Program

Captain Erich Mesenburg has been accepted into the Executive Fire Officer Program, an initiative of the United States Fire Administration-National Fire Academy, the district announced.

The program is designed to provide senior officers and others in key leadership roles an understanding of the need to transform fire and emergency services organizations from being reactive to proactive; with an emphasis on leadership development, prevention and risk-reduction.

The officers in this program enhance their professional development through a unique series of four graduate and upper-division-baccalaureate equivalent courses. The EFOP spans a four-year period with four core courses. Each course is two weeks in length. EFOP participant must complete an Applied Research Project that relates to their organization within six months after the completion of each of the four courses. A certificate of completion for the entire EFOP is awarded only after the successful completion of the final research project.

“This is a transformational program that prepares future chief officers to meet the future community challenges and demands," Novato Fire Deputy Fire Chief Eric Nickel said. "The individual commitment is high, but the community rewards far exceed the work.”

 Mesenburg began his career as a volunteer firefighter with the Novato Fire District in 1998 after graduating from San Marin High School.  He received the Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Award in 2000, and in 2001 he was hired as a full time paid firefighter/paramedic.

In 2004, Mesenburg was a co-instructor for the new recruit academy. In 2005 he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Life Safety Technology and Emergency Management. He was promoted to Captain in August  2009. In September 2011, he was designated Fire Officer by the Commission on Professional Credentialing, which demonstrates that an individual has developed a strategy for continued career improvement and development.

Mesenburg’s commitment to the community is evident by taking on the lead coordinator position for the Novato Fire Squirts Summer Camp for at-risk kids, over the past eight years. In addition he participates in internal committee work such as being a member on the Accreditation Team, Continuous Quality Improvement, Research and Development Committee, Fire Control 3 cadre, volunteer coordinator for Novato Fire Foundation Steven Rucker Golf Tournament, Team Captain for Relay for Life,  and instructor for our citizen CPR Program. 

Mesenburg will attend the National Fire Academy  beginning June 2012 in Emmetsburg, MD.