Advanced Fire Fighting Training Course

1. Advanced Fire Behavior and Dynamics

1.1. Fire Development in Enclosed Structures

• Ventilation-controlled fires including (growth phases, thermal layering, and flow path dynamics)

• Flashover predictors including (rollover, thermal radiation feedback, and temperature indicators)

• Backdraft conditions including (combustion products, air introduction, and explosion dynamics)

• Smoke behavior including (stratification, neutral planes, and movement prediction)

• Thermal imaging interpretation including (heat signatures, thermal layering, and material differentiation)

1.2. Fire Physics and Chemistry

• Heat transfer mechanisms including (conduction through building elements, convection patterns, and radiation intensities)

• Combustion efficiency including (complete vs. incomplete, product formation, and energy release)

• Fire plume dynamics including (entrainment, velocity profiles, and temperature gradients)

• Ventilation effects including (air track behavior, pressure differentials, and flow path management)

• Modern material behavior including (synthetic composites, engineered materials, and fire-retardant treatments)

2. Advanced Firefighting Tactics

2.1. Offensive Strategy Development

• Risk-based tactical selection including (occupancy factors, structural integrity, and resource capability)

• Coordinated attack planning including (point of entry, fire location, and victim potential)

• Flow path control including (door control, ventilation coordination, and pressure management)

• Water application techniques including (indirect, direct, combination, and 3D gas cooling)

• Tactical withdrawal indicators including (deteriorating conditions, structural concerns, and risk/benefit analysis)

2.2. Defensive Operations

• Exposure protection including (priority assessment, water curtains, and barrier establishment)

• Master stream deployment including (positioning, water supply requirements, and coverage patterns)

• Collapse zone management including (structural analysis, distance calculation, and personnel control)

• Large-area containment including (fire breaks, boundary cooling, and spread prevention)

• Resource concentration including (critical defense points, effective reach, and maximum impact)

3. Advanced Incident Command System

3.1. Complex Incident Management

• Unified command including (multi-agency integration, authority delegation, and responsibility transfer)

• Expanding incident organization including (sections, divisions, groups, and branches)

• Resource typing including (capability classification, deployment management, and mutual aid coordination)

• Strategic planning including (incident objectives, operational periods, and contingency development)

• Information management including (situation status, resource status, and documentation systems)

3.2. Command Decision Making

• Size-up enhancement including (information gathering, rapid assessment, and dynamic updates)

• Risk management including (risk analysis matrix, benefit calculation, and acceptable risk determination)

• Tactical prioritization including (RECEO-VS application, resource allocation, and objective hierarchy)

• Decision-making models including (recognition-primed, analytical, and time-constraint approaches)

• Command presence including (leadership communication, direction clarity, and authority assertion)

4. Industrial Firefighting Operations

4.1. Process Industry Fires

• Hydrocarbon fires including (pool fires, pressure fires, and three-dimensional fires)

• Chemical processes including (reactive materials, exothermic reactions, and runaway reactions)

• Storage vessel fires including (tank fires, container rupture, and BLEVE prevention)

• Process line fires including (flange leaks, valve failures, and pipeline ruptures)

• Specialized suppression including (dry chemical application, foam techniques, and extinguishing powders)

4.2. Specialized Industrial Strategies

• Fixed system integration including (operation, supplementation, and monitor control)

• Cooling strategies including (exposure protection, vessel integrity, and thermal reduction)

• Isolation techniques including (valve control, process shutdown, and supply interruption)

• Foam operations including (application rates, expansion ratios, and delivery methods)

• Extended operations including (resource rotation, supply maintenance, and burnout management)

5. Advanced Structural Firefighting

5.1. Modern Building Construction Challenges

• Lightweight construction including (truss systems, engineered lumber, and collapse indicators)

• High-rise tactics including (standpipe operations, vertical movement, and floor control)

• Large area structures including (big box commercial, warehouses, and open-span designs)

• Concealed space fires including (void spaces, drop ceilings, and wall cavities)

• Building system integration including (HVAC influence, utility control, and smart building management)

5.2. Advanced Interior Attack

• Flow path management including (door control, coordinated ventilation, and pressure zones)

• Thermal layer management including (gas cooling, neutral plane maintenance, and heat banking)

• Coordinated team movement including (search integration, communication protocols, and position awareness)

• Advanced nozzle techniques including (pattern selection, flow rate control, and application methods)

• Tactical retreat planning including (emergency egress, fallback positions, and disengagement criteria)

6. Special Hazard Firefighting

6.1. Flammable Liquid and Gas Fires

• Three-dimensional fires including (pressure-fed fires, running fuel fires, and gravity-influenced spread)

• LPG/LNG incidents including (container failure, BLEVE potential, and vapor cloud concerns)

• Vapor suppression including (foam application, vapor dispersion, and concentration reduction)

• Control vs. extinguishment including (strategic decision process, method selection, and timing)

• Risk zone establishment including (thermal exposure distances, blast potential, and evacuation parameters)

6.2. Hazardous Materials Integration

• Reactive materials including (water-reactive substances, oxidizers, and organic peroxides)

• Chemical compatibility including (reaction potential, mixing hazards, and runoff concerns)

• Specialized agents including (specific extinguishing requirements, application methods, and effectiveness)

• Decontamination considerations including (water runoff, containment methods, and personnel protection)

• Monitoring requirements including (explosive limits, toxicity levels, and radiation detection)

7. Advanced Ventilation Techniques

7.1. Strategic Ventilation

• Ventilation timing including (fire phase, attack coordination, and tactical sequence)

• Horizontal techniques including (positive pressure, negative pressure, and natural flow)

• Vertical operations including (roof construction assessment, cut selection, and coordinated opening)

• Anti-ventilation including (flow path control, door management, and compartmentalization)

• Special structure considerations including (high-rise, large volume, and complex layout)

7.2. Positive Pressure Applications

• Advanced fan placement including (airflow direction, pressure differential, and multiple unit coordination)

• Sequential ventilation including (entry control, interior door management, and phased clearing)

• Offensive vs. defensive application including (fire control assistance, post-fire clearing, and smoke removal)

• Multi-story techniques including (stairwell pressurization, floor isolation, and vertical control)

• Troubleshooting including (inadequate exhaust, flow path correction, and pressure adjustment)

8. Advanced Search and Rescue

8.1. Specialized Search Methodologies

• Large area search including (team coordination, grid patterns, and systematic coverage)

• Zero visibility techniques including (thermal imaging integration, orientation maintenance, and victim detection)

• Victim localization including (thermal signatures, sound detection, and systematic sweeping)

• Search marking systems including (international standards, progress indication, and team communication)

• High-risk area search including (collapse potential, hazardous environments, and limited access)

8.2. Technical Rescue Integration

• Structural collapse awareness including (void identification, victim location, and stabilization needs)

• Confined space considerations including (atmospheric hazards, limited access, and retrieval methods)

• Rope-assisted search including (anchor systems, movement techniques, and safety integration)

• Heavy lifting including (leverage techniques, cribbing placement, and mechanical advantage)

• Victim removal challenges including (complex pathways, limited access, and medical considerations)

9. Maritime and Offshore Firefighting

9.1. Vessel Firefighting Challenges

• Ship construction including (compartmentation, deck levels, and access limitations)

• Marine-specific hazards including (stability concerns, confined spaces, and material hazards)

• Boundary cooling including (adjacent space protection, conduction prevention, and heat monitoring)

• Marine extinguishing systems including (CO2 systems, water mist, and fixed installations)

• Vessel stability including (free surface effect, listing concerns, and water accumulation)

9.2. Offshore Platform Operations

• Platform configurations including (production, drilling, accommodation, and hybrid facilities)

• Process fire management including (hydrocarbon sources, pressure-fed fires, and control points)

• Helideck operations including (fuel fires, aviation concerns, and specialized agents)

• Evacuation coordination including (muster stations, escape routes, and personnel accounting)

• Weather influences including (wind effects, sea state considerations, and extreme conditions)

10. Advanced Tactical Applications

10.1. Tactical Decision Scenarios

• Resource deployment including (personnel allocation, apparatus positioning, and equipment distribution)

• Tactical mode selection including (offensive, defensive, transitional, and investigative)

• Multi-alarm management including (resource staging, assignment tracking, and span of control)

• Specialty team integration including (hazmat, technical rescue, and medical services)

• Scenario-based challenges including (limited access, water supply issues, and multiple fire locations)

10.2. Tactical Simulations

• Command simulation including (radio management, resource tracking, and tactical worksheet utilization)

• Decision-making exercises including (rapidly changing conditions, information processing, and command transfer)

• Multi-company coordination including (task assignment, progress reporting, and accountability maintenance)

• Mayday management including (firefighter emergency, RIT activation, and incident prioritization)

• Incident criticism including (effectiveness evaluation, decision analysis, and improvement identification)

11. Advanced Fire Protection Systems

11.1. Fixed System Operations

• Sprinkler system interaction including (support operations, manual augmentation, and effectiveness assessment)

• Standpipe tactics including (pressure considerations, supply limitations, and supplementation)

• Special extinguishing systems including (clean agent, water mist, and foam systems)

• System control including (valve location, operation verification, and emergency override)

• System failure management including (impairment response, alternative methods, and manual replacement)

11.2. Fire Detection and Alarm Integration

• Advanced alarm panel interpretation including (zone identification, alarm type classification, and system status)

• Building system integration including (HVAC control, elevator capture, and door release)

• Remote monitoring including (transmission verification, dispatch coordination, and information validation)

• False alarm assessment including (investigation approach, verification methods, and reset authority)

• System reset including (proper sequence, verification requirements, and documentation)

12. Specialized Extinguishing Agents

12.1. Foam Operations

• Foam selection including (AFFF, AR-AFFF, fluorine-free, and protein-based)

• Application techniques including (gentle application, plunging, rain-down, and banking)

• Proportioning methods including (inline eductors, balanced pressure, and pre-mixed systems)

• Specialized delivery including (foam branches, medium/high expansion, and large capacity devices)

• Environmental considerations including (containment, runoff control, and PFAS concerns)

12.2. Dry Chemical and Clean Agents

• Dry chemical application including (approach techniques, discharge methods, and coverage patterns)

• Clean agent deployment including (enclosure integrity, discharge coordination, and post-application procedures)

• Combination attacks including (dual agent techniques, sequential application, and complementary methods)

• Compatibility issues including (agent mixing, effectiveness reduction, and chemical reactions)

• Post-discharge considerations including (residue management, equipment protection, and respiratory concerns)

13. Complex Incident Case Studies

13.1. Major Incident Analysis

• Industrial disasters including (refinery explosions, chemical releases, and process failures)

• Large structural fires including (high-rise incidents, complex commercial, and institutional facilities)

• Multiple casualty incidents including (evacuation challenges, rescue operations, and medical integration)

• Technical failures including (system malfunctions, equipment limitations, and technological dependency)

• Successful interventions including (innovative approaches, effective leadership, and positive outcomes)

13.2. Lessons Learned Application

• Root cause identification including (contributing factors, systemic issues, and prevention opportunities)

• Tactical improvements including (operational modifications, procedural changes, and strategic adjustments)

• Equipment evolution including (technological advancements, capability enhancement, and deployment methods)

• Training implications including (skill development, knowledge requirements, and preparation needs)

• Implementation strategies including (organizational change, culture modification, and resistance management)

14. Advanced Firefighter Safety and Survival

14.1. Risk Management Enhancement

• Critical decision making including (go/no-go criteria, withdrawal parameters, and acceptable risk)

• Safety officer function including (hazard identification, intervention authority, and monitoring responsibilities)

• Crew resource management including (communication protocols, mutual support, and team dynamics)

• Physiological monitoring including (heat stress, work/rest cycles, and fatigue indicators)

• Situational awareness including (constant assessment, hazard recognition, and environmental scanning)

14.2. Advanced Survival Techniques

• Self-rescue methods including (emergency egress, disentanglement, and barrier breaching)

• Air management including (consumption calculation, emergency air conservation, and exit timing)

• Thermal protection including (heat exposure mitigation, position adaptations, and protective techniques)

• Disorientation management including (methodical approaches, reference maintenance, and psychological control)

• Team survival including (mutual support, emergency procedures, and coordinated action)

15. Specialized Equipment Applications

15.1. Advanced Monitoring Technology

• Thermal imaging including (advanced interpretation, tactical application, and limitation awareness)

• Gas detection including (multi-gas instruments, specific sensors, and remote monitoring)

• Structural assessment including (laser measurement, motion detection, and stability monitoring)

• Drone integration including (aerial assessment, thermal mapping, and situational awareness)

• Remote monitoring including (telemetry, video feeds, and data interpretation)

15.2. Specialized Delivery Systems

• High-volume delivery including (portable monitors, elevated streams, and high-flow appliances)

• Piercing nozzles including (application techniques, penetration methods, and effectiveness assessment)

• Portable deluge systems including (rapid deployment, water supply, and coverage patterns)

• Remote application including (robotic platforms, unmanned monitors, and controlled delivery)

• Specialized nozzles including (fog curtains, water shields, and hydraulic ventilation)

16. Advanced Fire Ground Communications

16.1. Command Communication

• Strategic direction including (clear objectives, tactical priorities, and mission statements)

• Progress reporting including (regular updates, benchmark achievement, and completion notification)

• Resource requests including (specific needs, capability requirements, and deployment instructions)

• Tactical adjustment including (plan modification, assignment changes, and direction clarity)

• Critical information management including (essential data, priority messages, and vital updates)

16.2. Tactical Communication

• Team coordination including (movement synchronization, function integration, and position reporting)

• Emergency messaging including (urgent traffic protocols, priority transmission, and distress communication)

• Non-verbal systems including (hand signals, touch signals, and emergency alerts)

• Radio discipline including (message brevity, transmission control, and channel management)

• Communication redundancy including (multiple methods, backup systems, and alternative techniques)

17. Case Studies & Group Discussions

• Complex fire incidents including (industrial facilities, high-rise structures, and marine vessels)

• Middle East major fires including (regional challenges, climate factors, and response capabilities)

• Tactical successes including (innovative approaches, effective leadership, and positive outcomes)

• System failures including (equipment limitations, procedural inadequacies, and organizational weaknesses)

• The importance of advanced training in successful emergency operations