Features Training
Trainer’s Corner: December 2014

As the new year approaches, training officers across our nation get out their calendars and begin their juggling act, known as planning out the year’s training schedule.  
Realistically, a year boils down to 42 (on average) nights. And when you consider practice nights (volunteer departments) are usually between 1.5 and two hours, there really isn’t a lot of time (between 63 and 84 hours). Responding to MVIs (extrication), first-response medical calls and/or first response hazmat calls really impacts training requirements. Once each quarter, departments should schedule a live-fire exercise and a driver training drill.

The following are some basic topics training officers should consider as part of their scheduling: cold-weather emergencies; ropes and knots; CPR and AED; forcible entry; chimney fires; apparatus and equipment; ventilation; SCBA; hose handling; preplans; area familiarization; fire suppression; fire extinguishers; advancing hoselines; cold- weather pumping; drafting; hose testing; hazmat operations; ground ladders; vehicle extrication; vehicle fires; below-grade fires; RIT; roof operations; hose streams; confined-space rescue; LPG emergencies; wildland fires; interface fires; structure fires; downed-firefighter rescue; arrival reports; size-up; ICS 100; PPE; firefighter safety; communication; alarms; water supply; nozzles and streams; building construction; fire suppression; BLEVE; salvage and overhaul; firefighter survival; mayday, disaster and large-incident response.

 Once you lay out the main topics you can add specific objectives under each. I have included 13 such topics as examples. Each member should be given the opportunity to demonstrate safe knowledge of and ability to perform safely.

■ Rescue equipment

• The set-up of the hydraulic tools system
• The set-up of the lifting bags system
• The set-up of emergency lighting

■ Building entry

• The proper procedure for entering a fire building

■ Ladders

• Proper ladder handling techniques
• Ladder the side of a building and safely secure the lanyard
• Climb the ladder and demonstrate leg lock
• Demonstrate sounding the roof
• Lower and stow the ladder

 ■ Small equipment
Demonstrate the starting and safety procedures for:

• Chain saw / Reciprocating saw
• PPV fan
• Heat detector
• Generators under load with all lights

■ RIT

• Demonstrate the steps for rescue of a downed firefighter with SCBA

 ■ Pre-connect deployment and loading

• Demonstrate the deployment of a 1-1/2 pre-connect
• Participate in loading a pre-connect

■ Over the bank

• Perform at least three rescue knots
• Demonstrate proper life-line anchoring

 ■ Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

• Demonstrate knowledge of SCBA use
• Demonstrate the donning and doffing SCBA
• Demonstrate troubleshooting the SCBA

■ Foam induction

• Demonstrate knowledge of setting up the foam inductor (E52)
• Demonstrate the proper cleanup procedures
• Demonstrate the proper application methods of foam

■ Hose rolls
Demonstrate the following hose rolls

• Straight roll
• Single donut roll
• Double donut roll
• Locking donut roll

 ■ Hose appliances

• Demonstrate extending a hose line using a hose clamp
• Demonstrate replacing a broken hose section
• Describe and/or demonstrate the proper use of gated wye add hose clamps

 ■ Hose lays

• Demonstrate knowledge of a forward lay
• Demonstrate knowledge of a reverse lay
• Demonstrate knowledge of a split lay
• Demonstrate knowledge of a hydrant lay

 ■ First responder

• Perform at least two first-responder core skills
• Demonstrate these core skills in a complete scenario
• Set up the basket stretcher in preparation for an over-the-bank rescue
• Package a patient in preparation to be rescued

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Further considerations: Think through each practice objective. Follow your department’s SOGs. Use the incident command system throughout your training, and it will become automatic in your response operations. Have a stop procedure (usually a blown whistle). There should be no tolerance for horseplay. Assign safety officers for any hands-on drills or evolutions.

 Instructors should, whenever possible, use the three Ds at their stations:
Demonstrate: instructors demonstrate the proper steps to complete the tasks required.  
Describe: instructors demonstrate the proper steps again, only this time they describe what is being done one step at a time.
Do: instructors will ask each member to do the task in the proper manner.

I hope this helps. The goal is to practise the basic skills until they become automatic.  Two last things: your best instructional tool is preparedness, and, when possible, mix in the fun of competition. Please continue to train as if lives depend on it.
 

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Ed Brouwer is the chief instructor for Canwest Fire in Osoyoos, B.C., and Greenwood Fire and Rescue. The 25-year veteran of the fire service is also a fire warden with the B.C. Ministry of Forests, a wildland urban interface fire-suppression instructor/evaluator and an ordained disaster-response chaplain. Contact Ed at ebrouwer@canwestfire.org

November 26, 2014 
By Ed Brouwer