The United States fire service is at a critical crossroads. Can it continue relying on outdated educational methodology to teach the 21st century fire instructor, or does it enact change to create an innovative, modern approach to instructor education? Fire Departments are rapidly losing decades of knowledge through retirement of their senior members. With the statistical drop in fires annually, there is less opportunity for real world skills application and knowledge acquisition. The reliance on instructors for their ability to pass on learned information is critical. In addition to the loss of knowledge, inadequate standards for instructor education drastically limit the ability for this to occur, steepening the learning curve for newer firefighters and increasing the risk to lives and property during the process. Better teaching methodology must be developed for educating the modern, all-hazards fire service instructor and help stem the unchecked loss of information the service is currently witnessing. Without good instructors, the knowledge gained from these horrific events will continue to be lost. Through qualitative inquiry, current and former members of the fire service were surveyed and interviewed regarding their opinions on the national fire instructor curriculum. The results of the research elucidate a need for continued investigation with a concentration on improving fire instructor training and professional development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]