Fire Team Member Training Course

1. Introduction to Facility Fire Teams

1.1. Fire Team Structure and Organization

• Brigade classifications including (incipient stage, advanced exterior, and interior structural)

• Team composition including (leader, members, and specialized positions)

• Authority hierarchy including (chain of command, decision protocols, and leadership)

• Response limitations including (scope of operations, risk assessment, and outside agency integration)

• Introduction to NFPA 600 and OSHA 1910.156 standards for industrial fire brigades

1.2. Legal and Regulatory Framework

• Regulatory requirements including (OSHA mandates, organizational policies, and compliance expectations)

• Team member qualifications including (medical, physical, and training standards)

• Documentation requirements including (training records, response actions, and incident reports)

• Employer responsibilities including (equipment provision, training, and medical surveillance)

• Member responsibilities including (readiness maintenance, skill proficiency, and response obligations)

2. Fire Science Fundamentals

2.1. Fire Tetrahedron

• Components including (fuel, oxygen, heat, and chemical reaction)

• Fire development including (incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay)

• Extinguishment principles including (cooling, smothering, isolating, and chemical inhibition)

• Heat transfer including (conduction, convection, and radiation)

• Fire behavior including (rollover, flashover, and backdraft conditions)

2.2. Classification of Fires

• Class A fires including (ordinary combustibles, characteristics, and extinguishing methods)

• Class B fires including (flammable liquids, spread patterns, and control techniques)

• Class C fires including (energized electrical equipment, hazards, and approach considerations)

• Class D fires including (combustible metals, special hazards, and dedicated agents)

• Class K/F fires including (cooking oils, extreme temperatures, and specialized extinguishing)

3. Personal Protective Equipment

3.1. Protective Clothing

• Structural firefighting gear including (turnout coat, pants, and protective features)

• Proximity gear including (reflective properties, heat resistance, and application)

• Fire-resistant clothing including (coveralls, station wear, and daily protection)

• Helmet and hood including (impact protection, thermal barriers, and proper wearing)

• Gloves and footwear including (grip considerations, thermal protection, and mobility needs)

3.2. Respiratory Protection

• Self-contained breathing apparatus including (components, operation, and limitations)

• Air-purifying respirators including (appropriate applications, filter types, and protection levels)

• Donning procedures including (proper sequence, fit verification, and buddy checks)

• User limitations including (medical considerations, facial hair restrictions, and corrective lenses)

• Emergency procedures including (low-air situations, equipment failure, and buddy breathing)

4. Fire Team Equipment

4.1. Portable Fire Extinguishers

• Extinguisher types including (water, foam, dry chemical, CO2, and specialty agents)

• Rating system including (classification, capacity, and application range)

• Selection criteria including (fire type, size, location, and effectiveness)

• Inspection requirements including (visual checks, pressure verification, and maintenance)

• Mounting and distribution including (location requirements, accessibility, and visibility)

4.2. Fire Hose and Appliances

• Hose types including (attack lines, supply lines, and hard suction)

• Hose handling including (deployment, advancement, and retrieval techniques)

• Nozzles including (solid stream, fog pattern, combination, and specialty)

• Appliances including (wyes, siamese, adapters, and manifolds)

• Hydraulics basics including (friction loss, pressure considerations, and flow calculation)

5. Fixed Fire Protection Systems

5.1. Water-Based Systems

• Sprinkler systems including (wet pipe, dry pipe, and pre-action)

• Standpipe systems including (Class I, II, and III configurations)

• Fire pump operations including (automatic starting, manual operation, and testing)

• System components including (control valves, fire department connections, and flow switches)

• Fire team interaction including (system support, valve operation, and water supply)

5.2. Special Extinguishing Systems

• Clean agent systems including (FM-200, Novec 1230, and inert gas)

• Carbon dioxide systems including (total flooding, local application, and safety precautions)

• Dry chemical systems including (activation methods, discharge characteristics, and hazards)

• Foam systems including (application rates, proportioning methods, and expansion types)

• Kitchen hood systems including (activation, fuel shutdown, and reset procedures)

6. Fire Response Procedures

6.1. Alarm Response

• Notification methods including (alarm systems, verbal communication, and automatic alerting)

• Response priorities including (personnel safety, notification, and equipment preparation)

• Assembly protocols including (designated locations, accountability, and assignment)

• Equipment gathering including (PPE donning, tool selection, and apparatus preparation)

• Communication verification including (radio check, assignment confirmation, and instruction clarity)

6.2. Initial Actions

• Size-up including (situation assessment, hazard identification, and resource evaluation)

• Scene safety including (hazard zones, security concerns, and protective positions)

• Command establishment including (leader identification, responsibility assumption, and direction)

• Resource deployment including (team assignments, equipment allocation, and tactical positioning)

• Communications including (status reporting, tactical coordination, and progress updates)

7. Firefighting Tactics

7.1. Incipient Fire Attack

• Risk assessment including (fire size, development stage, and intervention safety)

• Extinguisher selection including (appropriate agent, capacity needs, and application method)

• Approach technique including (wind direction, position safety, and escape route)

• Application methods including (PASS technique, discharge control, and target focus)

• Follow-up actions including (fire watch, extinguisher replacement, and scene security)

7.2. Interior Fire Attack

• Team coordination including (paired operations, communication, and progress reporting)

• Hose advancement including (line selection, movement techniques, and obstacle navigation)

• Water application including (direct attack, indirect attack, and combination methods)

• Room entry including (door control, thermal assessment, and coordinated advance)

• Search integration including (primary search, victim location, and removal prioritization)

8. Specialized Fire Situations

8.1. Flammable Liquid Fires

• Hazard assessment including (liquid identification, spill area, and flash point considerations)

• Team positioning including (upwind approach, safe distances, and retreat path)

• Extinguishing agent including (foam application, dry chemical, and combination attacks)

• Application techniques including (gentle application, bank-down method, and roll-on approach)

• Special considerations including (containment, runoff control, and vapor suppression)

8.2. Electrical Fires

• Power isolation including (shutdown procedures, verification methods, and lockout/tagout)

• Approach considerations including (electrical shock hazards, conductive equipment, and safe distance)

• Extinguishing agents including (non-conductive options, application methods, and limitations)

• Special equipment including (insulated tools, voltage detectors, and protective barriers)

• Reset protocols including (equipment inspection, power restoration approval, and sequential energizing)

9. Search and Rescue Basics

9.1. Search Techniques

• Search patterns including (left/right hand, systematic coverage, and team coordination)

• Victim location including (thermal scanning, physical searching, and verbal communication)

• Orientation maintenance including (reference points, entry marking, and team contact)

• Visibility challenges including (zero visibility techniques, wall contact, and directional awareness)

• Search marking including (room completion, victim location, and hazard identification)

9.2. Rescue Operations

• Victim assessment including (consciousness, mobility, and prioritization)

• Movement techniques including (carries, drags, and emergency moves)

• Team-based removal including (coordinated lifting, obstacle navigation, and relay methods)

• Special challenges including (heavy victims, restricted spaces, and vertical movement)

• Medical handoff including (information transfer, condition reporting, and care transition)

10. Fire Ground Safety

10.1. Scene Safety Management

• Hazard zones including (establishment, marking, and control)

• Collapse considerations including (warning signs, safety distances, and avoidance)

• Utilities including (isolation procedures, verification methods, and hazard control)

• Environmental factors including (weather effects, temperature extremes, and visibility issues)

• Exposure protection including (personnel rotation, cooling measures, and rehabilitation)

10.2. Firefighter Emergency Procedures

• Mayday protocols including (activation criteria, communication procedure, and essential information)

• Disorientation response including (stay low, wall contact, and emergency movement techniques)

• Air emergency including (emergency breathing techniques, buddy breathing, and emergency escape)

• Entrapment response including (communication protocols, position protection, and conservation techniques)

• Team accountability including (personnel tracking, regular reporting, and position verification)

11. Fire Team Communications

11.1. Radio Procedures

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

• Standard terminology including (common terms, clear text, and standard phrases)

• Emergency traffic including (priority messages, channel clearing, and acknowledgment)

• Progress reporting including (situation updates, completion notification, and status changes)

• Communication barriers including (noise, stress factors, and equipment limitations)

11.2. Non-Verbal Communication

• Hand signals including (standard gestures, movement directions, and emergency indicators)

• Team signals including (tap codes, rope pulls, and contact maintenance)

• Evacuation signals including (audible alarms, air horns, and emergency evacuation indication)

• Visual indicators including (scene tape, exit marking, and hazard identification)

• Tactical worksheets including (tracking methods, assignment documentation, and resource accounting)

12. Ventilation Awareness

12.1. Ventilation Principles

• Purpose including (smoke removal, heat release, and visibility improvement)

• Timing considerations including (fire attack coordination, strategic planning, and tactical sequence)

• Ventilation types including (horizontal, vertical, positive pressure, and natural)

• Risk factors including (fire growth potential, flow path creation, and backdraft conditions)

• Team coordination including (attack teams, ventilation teams, and command approval)

12.2. Basic Ventilation Techniques

• Door control including (controlled opening, chocking techniques, and flow management)

• Window ventilation including (opening methods, sequence selection, and coordination)

• Positive pressure including (fan placement, exhaust identification, and effectiveness verification)

• Vertical access including (existing openings, safety considerations, and roof operations awareness)

• Post-fire ventilation including (smoke removal, gas detection, and air quality improvement)

13. Fire Prevention and Inspection

13.1. Hazard Recognition

• Fuel sources including (combustible storage, flammable liquids, and process materials)

• Ignition hazards including (electrical equipment, hot work, and process heat)

• Housekeeping including (waste accumulation, storage practices, and aisle maintenance)

• Life safety including (exit obstructions, emergency lighting, and alarm system status)

• Special operations including (maintenance activities, contractor operations, and temporary processes)

13.2. Inspection Procedures

• Routine inspections including (frequency, documentation, and follow-up)

• Checklist utilization including (systematic approach, completeness, and reference standards)

• Corrective actions including (immediate corrections, work orders, and escalation procedures)

• Documentation including (findings, recommendations, and compliance verification)

• Pre-incident surveys including (facility familiarization, hazard identification, and tactical planning)

14. Post-Incident Procedures

14.1. Overhaul and Salvage

• Hidden fire detection including (thermal imaging, physical indicators, and systematic search)

• Overhaul techniques including (selective examination, material removal, and extinguishment verification)

• Salvage operations including (water removal, content protection, and damage minimization)

• Evidence preservation including (fire cause awareness, scene protection, and investigator notification)

• Property conservation including (weather protection, security establishment, and valuables protection)

14.2. Equipment Restoration

• Cleaning procedures including (contamination removal, proper cleaning agents, and technique)

• Inspection including (damage assessment, function testing, and integrity verification)

• Maintenance including (minor repairs, service documentation, and replacement needs)

• Resupply including (expended materials, replacement equipment, and inventory management)

• Documentation including (usage records, damage reports, and maintenance recommendations)

15. Special Facilities Considerations

15.1. Hazardous Materials Awareness

• Recognition including (container types, placards, and warning signs)

• Initial response including (isolation, notification, and approach considerations)

• Defensive actions including (spill control, vapor suppression, and evacuation)

• Information resources including (SDS, ERG, and facility documentation)

• Outside agency coordination including (specialized teams, technical specialists, and command integration)

15.2. Facility-Specific Hazards

• Process areas including (production equipment, chemical systems, and utility infrastructure)

• Storage facilities including (warehouse configuration, high-piled storage, and special commodities)

• Technical spaces including (data centers, electrical rooms, and telecommunications)

• Healthcare considerations including (patient populations, medical gases, and critical operations)

• Special occupancies including (assembly areas, educational facilities, and residential components)

16. Case Studies & Group Discussions

• Facility fire incidents including (actual responses, outcomes, and analysis)

• Middle East industrial fires including (regional factors, climate considerations, and response capabilities)

• Success stories including (effective interventions, proper tactics, and positive results)

• Learning opportunities including (challenges, unexpected developments, and improvement areas)

• The importance of proper training in successful fire team operations