Troy-area firefighter honored as MU FRTI’s ‘Instructor of the Year’

COLUMBIA, Mo.—A fire district official from Lincoln County received the Instructor of the Year award last week from University of Missouri Extension’s Fire and Rescue Training Institute.

Randall J. Ragan, assistant chief with the Lincoln County Fire Protection District #1 in Troy, Mo., received the honor at FRTI’s annual Instructor Conference at Lake Ozark, Mo. Ragan has been an adjunct instructor with MU FRTI since 2009.

“Instructor Ragan exemplifies excellence in fire service instruction and we are proud of his dedicated service with the institute,” said David Hedrick, director of MU FRTI. “Ragan has a passion for providing the very best in fire service instruction. He is thorough and well-prepared in his instructional approach and takes training very seriously. He has adopted a fire service adage that drives his teaching approach, ‘Let no man’s ghost return to say his training let him down.’”

Ragan began his fire service career as a volunteer in 1997 with the Lincoln County FPD #1. In 2000 he became a full-time employee with the department and was promoted to assistant chief in 2007. Ragan holds Missouri Division of Fire Safety certifications as a Fire Service Instructor II and Fire Officer II. In 2009, he graduated from the MU FRTI Fire Service Leadership Enhancement program and in 2011 he completed the MU FRTI Company Officer Certificate program.

In addition to Ragan’s award, MU FRTI recognized two others as runners-up for Instructor of the Year honors. Michael Arnhart, chief of the High Ridge Fire Protection District in High Ridge, Mo., was first runner-up; Leslie F. Crews, task force leader with the Missouri Task Force One/Urban Search and Rescue Team in Boone County, was second runner-up.

During the award ceremony, Hedrick acknowledged the important job that all fire service instructors perform: “Fire instructors have the responsibility of preparing the firefighter to competently perform skills and techniques necessary in saving lives and property of the citizens they serve. The potential impact that each instructor can make through each class they deliver is incalculable. MU FRTI is proud of the excellence in fire service instruction provided by our faculty and their dedicated service with the institute.”

MU FRTI is charged with the responsibility of providing comprehensive continuing professional education training to Missouri’s fire service and emergency response personnel. Last year more than 17,000 fire and emergency service first responders received training from the institute. MU FRTI has a cadre of more than 200 adjunct instructors.

For more information about MU FRTI, go to www.mufrti.org.