ABOUT EDI
Dr. Carl
Holmes established the Carl Holmes Executive Development
Institute (EDI) in 1991. Forty-three black professional
firefighters attended the first classes, which where held at
Florida Agriculture and Medical University (FAMU) in
Tallahassee, Florida.
Since the first class in 1991, over 1,200 IABPFF members
have attended The Executive Development Institute, and
hundreds of
students have successfully completed the program's five-year
(300 hour) requirement. Also, many participants have enjoyed
promotional processes to include Administrative and Fire
Chief positions throughout the country and abroad.
Today, the Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute is
recognized throughout the fire service community across
America.
HISTORY OF
THE EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:
The Carl
Holmes Executive Development Institute was born out of the effort to
address the problem of African Americans in the fire service being
denied the opportunity to receive cutting edge management training.
The concept proposed by Carl Holmes, then Assistant Chief of the Oklahoma City
Fire Department, was to have African American instructors deliver
course material in the area of their expertise or current area of
management within the fire service.
In May of
1991, the pilot Institute Training Program was held at Florida A&M
University in Tallahassee, FL with 45 students. During that week of
training, students were introduced to a wealth of new ideas and
concepts centered on preparing to become top-notch Fire/EMS
managers. With the success of that first year, additional training
modules were added and interest grew in this exciting new program.
A move, in 1996, to the campus of Dillard University in New Orleans,
LA brought the opportunity to increase our enrollment and expand our
program. Students spread throughout five modules were given
instruction in areas such as the budget process in a department or
city, how to develop community based fire/EMS programs, or media
relations. EDI’s students, instructors, and administration enjoyed
an atmosphere fostered by working on a common goal and sharing our
experience, strength, obstacles, and successes with one another.
Currently,
EDI is being conducted at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA.
Our success has already been noted both nationally and locally. The
program is certified the same as the National Fire Academy Executive
Officer Program (EFO) and is a recognized program toward Chief
Officer’s certification. And many of our students have expressed
that their promotion to higher ranks within their departments can be
linked to their attendance at EDI.
Carl
Holmes, a retired Assistant Fire Chief of the Oklahoma City Fire
Department, a consultant, and IABPFF Executive Director was
selected as the facilitator of our plan of action to attain
an Executive Development Institute.
The
beginning years of the Executive Development Institute were
held on the campus of Florida A & M and later relocate for
greater geographical access to the campus of Dillard
University.
The focus of course content was to be the development of
future Fire Department Officers and that the course content
should cover those unique conceptual, diagnostic, and human
skills so overlooked in most Fire Department management
training programs.
The final design of the Institute was that the courses
offered were to be of one-week duration offered in five
phases. The concept proved to be a great success, with many
of our participants being promoted to higher positions, too
many to name.
In 2000, Articles of Incorporation for the Carl Holmes
Executive Development Institute were filed.
Many of our students have become Chiefs of their
Departments. The course offering now far exceeds any
management-training program in this profession. We as an
Institute are proud of our many successes.
Our mission is
"Preparing Tomorrows Leaders in the Fire/EMS Service", and our motto is
"All I am... I owe...
I live eternally in the red!"
The Carl Holmes
Executive Development Institute (EDI) will begin its 19th
year in 2010! 