Recognizing the need to survey what fire service training is and what should be available, the Governor, Mills E. Godwin, Jr., in a letter to the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council dated January' 3, 1967, stated in part as follows:

"Representatives of the Virginia State Fire Chiefs Association have discussed with me on several occasions a suggestion for the creation of a Fire Service Training Division, possibly under the State Department of Education in facilities owned or controlled by the State.

"Recognizing the importance of trained manpower in meeting the demands of present-day fire fighting, I respectfully request the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council to undertake a study of this question and to make a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 1967."

Pursuant to this request, the Council appointed one of its members, Honorable Tom Frost of Warrenton, a member of the House of Delegates and Chairman of the Council, to be Chairman of a Committee to study this problem and make a preliminary report to the Council. The following were selected as members of this Committee to serve with Mr. Frost: E. E. Willey, member of the Senate, Richmond; H. E. Bailey, Secretary, Virginia State Firemen's Association, South Hill; E. B. Bayne, Fire Chief, Virginia Beach; E. L. Brower, Town Manager, Warrenton; Russell M. Carneal, member of the House of Delegates, Williamsburg; Joseph H. Clements, Fire Chief, Arlington County, Arlington; Clay A. Easterly, Fire. Chief, Martinsville; Eldred H. Hendricks, Director of Conferences and Institutes, University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Julian F. Hirst, City Manager, Roanoke; E. W. Jayne, Deputy Fire Chief, Alexandria; Albert R. Miller, Warrenton and C. Sutton Mullen, Jr., State Fire Marshal, Richmond.

The Committee met, organized and selected Senator Willey as Vice Chairman. G. M. Lapsley and Frank R. Dunham served as Secretary and Recording Secretary, respectively, to the Committee.

The Committee held a public hearing in Richmond on May 11, 1967, at which those interested were requested to present their views. In addition, the Committee secured information from Rexford Wilson, Director, Fire Service Extension Department, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland and D. Keith Phillippe, North Carolina Fire Service Training, Raleigh, North Carolina, who appeared before the Committee and discussed the fire service training programs of their states.

After consideration of all the information presented to the Committee, a report was made to the Council.