Course Descriptions
Tactics & Decisions for the 1st Arriving Officer
A comprehensive 16 -hour class on making decisions from the time you arrive on the scene, until you call “control”. Review; “How to Read the Scene” to determine “Extreme Fire Behavior”, Understanding “Modern fire Attack” methods for “Scene Safety”, and analyze NIOSH case studies involving firefighter fatalities. A very Frank & Honest presentation into the “Real World” of Structural Fire Fighting. (Instructor Stan Merritt, Training Officer, Union Volunteer Fire and Rescue (AL))
Animal First Aid
During this 4 hour class students will learn how to safely approach and provide initial treatment for pets from medical emergencies, such as wounds, possible broken bones, airway obstruction, and CPR. Other topics will include advise on items needed to assemble a Pet First Aid Kit. (Instructor Donnie Thornton, Licensed Venterinary Technician, Eglin AFB Veterinary Treatment Facility)
Building Contruction (NEW) (45 hours)
The curriculum in this portion of the Fire Prevention Inspection Certification Program deals with building construction. Topics include identifying hazards from assault by fire and gravity, how building construction can influence fire spread, fire confinement or structural collapse, and many other life safety issues. This is not a building course per se, but rather a course to identify construction features and their hazards under fire conditions. NOTE: This course may require work to be done prior to and /or following attendance at the course. Students will be notified prior to the class. (Instructor TBD)
Fire Chaplaincy (4-hrs)
What are fire chaplains? What value do they bring to a department? What roles do they play? These and many other questions will be explored during this course. From theory to practice, participants will leave challenged and prepared to bring this valuable position to their departments. This course is open to current chaplains, as well as those considering involvement as a chaplain in the future. This would also be the perfect opportunity for a department exploring the chaplaincy to find out what it is all about. Instructor Joe LaCognata, Chaplain Marion County Fire Rescue)
Developing an Effective Behavioral Health Program (NEW)
This 4 hour class will allow personnel to evaluate their own departments' current behovioral health and emotional wellness culture and determine what steps need to be taken to start or develop a successful program. Course objectives include indentifying signs of stress and associated issues, preparing themselves and their employees for traumatic events, and equip them and their personnel with the tools to prevent post traumatic stress. (Instructor: Dustin Hawkins - Florida Firefighter Safety and Health Collaborative/Engineer, Indian River County Fire Rescue. Dustin's Bio)
Firefighter Suicide Awareness (4 hours)
This course will provide awareness of the
problem, some of the reasons for Suicide of a responder.
This course will then provide some coping mechanisms and some
avenues for seeking help.
This course will not make counselors out of students.
This is just the beginning of the process.
Curriculum covers multiple company operations, logistics, strategy,
use of mutual aid forces and conflagration control. The course is
intended for officers who may be in command of fires and other
emergencies involving close coordination and maximum use of large
amounts of staffing and equipment. Typical tactical situations and
case histories are given. The development of critical thinking
skills is stressed.
Electrical Safety (NEW)
This 4-hour course...
EMR/First Responder Refresher (NEW)
This 2-day course is designed to refresh the experienced responder in his or her basic first aid skills through lecture and practical skills. Topics that will be covered include Preparatory, Airway, Patient Assessment, Circulation, Illness and Injury, Childbirth and Children, and EMS Operations. This also includes the new use of tourniquets and gunshot wound treatment during an MCI. Curriculum is based upon the National Standard Curriculum. (Instructor Tim Busby, Holt VFD/Ret. Paramedic, Okaloosa County EMS)
Emergency Incident Rehabilitation (Rehab) (4 hours CEUs
for Instructor)
This is a 4-hour hands-on training course that
will review NFPA 1500 and NFPA 1584.
Students will setup and function as an actual rehab during
the Live Fire Evolutions course.
Prerequisites: First Aid skills and the ability to take
patient vitals. (Instructor Barbara
Warren)
Emergency
Vehicle Operation Course
This is a 16-hour course that includes classroom
discussion on safe driving, state laws, physical forces that effect
driving. The practical portion includes driving an apparatus through
a course designed by VFIS.
Engine Operations: From Hydraulics to Hose Streams (16 hours CEUs for Instructor)
This 16-hour course encompasses the basics needed to be a proficient
pump operator including “down and dirty” hydraulic calculations as
well as practical application of the calculations to actual engine
operations at a fire ground.
This course will include classroom and HOT training applying
theory to practical pumping operations.
Explosive Awareness and Recognition
First Due, What Line? (aka The Art of Weapon Selection)
Applying water on the fire with the appropriate weapons makes all our problems go away. It’s the one thing we do at all fires, and we cannot afford to get it wrong to fulfill our promise to protect life and property. In today’s fire service, we are doing increasingly more with less. By having reduced staffing, we are losing the opportunity and skills to choose the proper weapon and make the proper stretch. This 4-hour class will review system tests, our target flow rates (GPS), different types of nozzles and fire hose, reading smoke and matching the weapon to the conditions found on arrival. The citizens that you protect and the firefighters performing other tasks depend on you to pick the right weapon and place it into service quickly and efficiently. Are you up to the challenge? (Instructors: Chris Brown, District Chief Walton County Fire Rescue; Carl Hohenstein, Ret. South Walton Fire Department)
Fire Service Course Delivery (NEW) (Additional Fees - Textbook Rental $10 or Purchase $)
The curriculum draws from many recognized authorities in exploring the methods and mechanics of imparting information and adult learning principles. The course emphasizes techniques which have wide application in teaching situations, as well as devices for specific areas. Also stressed are measuring teaching effectiveness, the use of media and visual aids. NOTE: This course may require work to be done prior to and /or following attendance at the course. Students will be notified prior to the class. Part of Fire Officer I, Fire Instructor I, Fire Instructor II and Fire Instructor III. (Instructor TBD)
Firefighter I Practical Skills Sign Off (Must have FF I Task Book 1st signature prior to September 13th)
Under the new Florida FF I Certification Guidelines, Firefighter I students must have an independent certified instructor sign off their skills for Firefighter I completion. Firefighter I students who need their 2nd skills sign off, may attend the Practical Skills Task Book “sign off” on September 18 & 19, 2015. (Instructors Susan Schell, Pat Garvey, & Harold Pool)
Firefighter Water Rescue & Survival (Complete Bunker Gear and SCBA required)
This 4 hour program will consist of lecture and practical applications. This introduction to the various water rescue disciplines takes the students through the basics of self preservation in the water and fire service application of the reach, throw, row, or go concepts. Full PPE including SCBA is required along with a change of clothes, towels, etc. Gear should be cleaned prior to attendance. (If you have a second set of gear, please bring it. Your gear will get very wet.) (Instructor Susan Schell, Bureau of Fire Standards and Training)
Health Concerns for Today's Firefighters
This 4-hour course is a practical in-depth, fast paced presentation that focuses on knowledge, experience and lessons learned. It gives participants the boots on the ground approach to starting a program while looking at knowledge gained from active fire events and current trends and analysis. This is an honest look of the how's and whys of the Health and Safety Officer and reliving the moments of if I had this to do over again. (Instructor Joseph Suddarth, Asst. Chief/Safety Officer, Eglin AFB Fire Department)
Human Side of the Fire Service (4-hrs)
You have the skills. You have the training. You have the experience. But is there something lacking in your preparation to do the job of a firefighter? Everything you do is done in the context of others. How well are you equipped to deal with the people you interact with day in and day out? This course will give you the opportunity to explore how to best care for the various people that you serve including victims, peers, your family and yourself. (Instructor Joe LaCognata, Chaplain Marion County Fire Rescue)
ISO - Public Protection Classification (NEW) (4 hrs CEU for Instructor, FCA, and Inspector)
This 4-hour class reviews the ISO Public Protection Classification Program and reviews all portions of the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule including water supply, training requirements, classifications, and much more. It will also review on how to prepare for an inspection. (Instructor Kyle Biles, ISO Senior Field Representative)
Live Fire Evolutions
The students will participate in live fire evolutions. The evolutions will consist of an exterior Class ‘A’ fire, vehicle fire, grade “room & content” fire and below grade “room & content” fire. Upon completion of the four live burns, the Firefighter I candidate will have completed four of the six live burns required for Firefighter I certification. (NFPA compliant Bunker Gear and SCBA are required) (Instructor Joel Richardson, Escambia Fire Rescue)
Lost Person Behavior (Sunday only) (8 hrs CEUs for Instructor)
A successful search for a lost person is usually
due to knowing how and where to look. This class primarily teaches
the “WHERE to look” part. This
class reviews decision making processes and behaviors of those who
are lost, historical data, as well as classification of the lost
person by age, mental status and activity to help develop a higher
probability areas to search. Relying heavily on the work of SAR
expert and author Robert Koester, along with historical information
from Florida searches, this course will look at several aspects of
lost person behavior and practical examples. Attendees will
participate in table top exercises to use this information to plot
potential search areas focusing on high probability areas.
While some search management strategy (“how to look”) is
included in this class, the “how” part is included in Lost Person
Search Management offered on Saturday.
Pervious search knowledge or experience is helpful but not
required, and you do not need to bring any equipment to this class.
A text will be provided for in class use and available for purchase
from the NWFVFF should you desire to keep a copy.
There is also an application available which we will discuss
in class.
Lost Person Search Management (Saturday Only) (NEW)
A successful search for a lost person is usually
due to knowing how and where to look. This class primarily teaches
the “HOW to look” part. This course will focus primarily on the
initial phases (first 24 hours) of a search but will discuss some
long term management issues as well.
We will discuss several topics including information
gathering, initial planning needs, different resources, incident
management, accountability, communications and technology, safety,
initiation of a hasty search, initiation on a grid search,
debriefings, and critical stress considerations. While primarily a
lecture and discussion format there will be short field exercises to
help re-enforce some critical concepts in search application.
While there will be some discussion on where to look, the
“where” part is included in Lost Person Behavior offered on Sunday.
Pervious search knowledge or experience is helpful but not
required and you do not need to bring any equipment to this class.
Low-Angle Terrain Rescue Students must bring boots for rough terrain, helmet, and gloves appropriate for rope work.
You respond to the scene of a vehicle accident where the vehicle is over an embankment or short hill. Or, you have a hiker that took a tumble and is in the woods. Carrying a backboard up a slope is dangerous for both the rescuers and the patient. What do you do? The solution, a simple rope system. In this day long course, students will learn how to set up a simple rope system to help bring a packaging device up a slope. Rope systems that assist in victim packaging and removal and providing assistance over rough terrain will be demonstrated and practiced. (Instructors: Okaloosa County Light Technical Rescue)
Meth Lab/Grow Houses (NEW)
This 4-hour course will provide the first responder the latest information... (Instructor Matt Legler, Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations)
Natural Gas Emergency Response will provide the attendees an unprecedented look into the Natural Gas Industry. You will be given the opportunity to learn how Natural Gas Companies and Local Fire Fighting organizations can work together to eliminate hazards and minimize the threat to the public and property when things do go wrong. We will explore major natural gas incidents to understand what can and did go wrong. We will gain a better understanding of the Natural Gas Emergency Response processes including natural disasters, gas leaks both inside and outside of a home or building and natural gas fires. We will explore the best practices of Emergency Responders and interactions with the Natural Gas Company. (Instructor Brent Haywood, VP Operations; Okaloosa Gas District)
VCOS
Beyon
S-130/S-190/ L-180 (Preference given to FF I Students) (Eligible for Scholarship)
This is a 40-hour course that is designed to train firefighters in the basic fire behavior factors that will aid them in the safe and effective control of wildland fires, basic wildland firefighting training, and the human factors on the fireline. (Instructor Gary Holley, Florida Forest Service)
Solar Farm SafetyThis 4-hour course... (Instructor TBD)
Street Smart RIT
This RIT course will define the proper techniques for different possible RIT operations on the fire ground. Rapid Intervention Teams on the fire ground are essential for safety and must be unitized on every Fire Response. Course will also focus on the safety of RIT teams themselves and knowing their limits. At the end of this RIT course students will have an advanced knowledge of RIT techniques, as well as multiple untraditional techniques for unusual RIT operations possibilities. (Instructor Devin Rogers, Lt. Northbay Fire Dept)
Structural Collapse Awareness
This 4-hour course meets NFPA 1670 and is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become familiar with established structural collapes procedures and planning within the State of Florida. This is one of the required courses to upgrade from FFI (160 hr) to FFI (206 hr). (Instructor: Okaloosa County Light Technical Rescue)
This 8 hour course will teach the student the basic techniques needed to perform vehicle extrication. This course will consist of lecture on the basic techniques using hydraulic and hand tools and the hands-on application of these techniques. (Instructor Bud McMahon, TNT Rescue)
Vent, Enter, Isolate, Search (VEIS)
This 4-hour course will define the proper techniques for different possible VEIS operations on the fire ground. Vent, Enter, Isolate, and Search Teams on the fire ground should be considered another tool or tactic for Fire Responses. The course will also focus on the safety of VEIS teams themselves and knowing their limits. At the end of this VEIS course students will have an advanced knowledge of VEIS techniques. (Instructor Jos Vargason, Captain Crestview Fire Dept.
Water Tender/Rural Water Supply Operations
This 16-hour course will
consist of classroom that will discuss driver safety, tender
operations, proper set-up of a tender cycle using 1 and 2 drop
tanks, power drafting, and proper staging of resources.
The hands on training will consist of single drop tank
operations and then move into 2 tank operations leading to 250 GPM
for 2 hours.