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CTE/Public Service & Safety Curriculum Fire Science, Introduction
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arrow icon Course Introduction

 

Core Standards of the Course

STRAND 1
Students will explore early traditions and history of emergency services.

Standard 1
Discuss fire protection in early America.

Standard 2
Describe early American fire equipment.

Standard 3
Explain how the growth of the volunteer fire service affects modern-day fire and emergency services.

Standard 4
Describe how the "age of steam" affects modern-day fire and emergency services.

Standard 5
Describe how improvements to protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) impact modern-day fire practices.

Standard 6
Indicate how developments in gasoline- and diesel-powered equipment has changed modern-day fire practices.

Standard 7
Explain how the modern-day philosophy of public safety has been informed by historic fires in North America.

Standard 8
Explain how the modern-day philosophy of firefighter safety has been informed by historic fires in North America.


STRAND 2
Students will explore career opportunities in emergency services.

Standard 1
Discuss the fire and emergency services culture.

Standard 2
Identify fire protection and emergency-service careers.

  1. Federal
  2. Local
  3. Private

Standard 3
Recognize the components of career preparation and goal setting.

Standard 4
Discuss how firefighters hold a position of public trust.

Standard 5
Differentiate between the following type of training:

  1. Fire service training and education
  2. Fire protection certificate programs
  3. Fire service degree programs

Standard 6
Compare and contrast the career firefighter selection process and the volunteer firefighter selection process.


STRAND 3
Students will explore firefighter physical fitness requirements.

Standard 1
Explore methods of assessing a candidate's current level of physical fitness.

Standard 2
Determine goals for a candidate's physical fitness improvement.

Standard 3
Locate and implement the weekly use of a Fitness Tracker.


STRAND 4
Students will explore roles of fire and emergency services personnel.

Standard 1
Identify the duties of fire suppression (operations) personnel.

  1. Engine
  2. Ladder
  3. Rescue companies
  4. Wildland

Standard 2
Define the roles of training division personnel.

  1. Chief officer
  2. Training captain
  3. Training specialist

Standard 3
Recognize possible positions for fire service administration.

  1. Fire chief
  2. Deputy chief
  3. Assistant chief
  4. Public information officer
  5. Fire marshal

Standard 4
Define special operations personnel duties.

  1. Technical rescue
  2. Hazardous Materials (HazMat)
  3. Bomb and Arson
  4. Airport Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF)
  5. Swift Water

Standard 5
Explain how fire prevention (community risk reduction) personnel assist in enhancing community fire safety.

Standard 6
Compare and contrast the duties of emergency medical services personnel versus the duties of fire suppression personnel.

Standard 7
Describe the role emergency management personnel has in community safety planning.

Standard 8
Recognize other fire department personnel who assist in carrying out the broad mission of the fire department.

  1. Dispatch
  2. Information technology
  3. Apparatus maintenance
  4. Logistics

STRAND 5
Students will explore roles of public and private support organizations.

Standard 1
Discuss local organizations that support fire and emergency services.

  1. Building departments
  2. Water departments
  3. Other utility departments

Standard 2
Describe state government agencies and organizations that support fire and emergency services.

  1. State Fire Marshal
  2. State Fire Training
  3. Law Enforcement
  4. Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Standard 3
Recognize the various federal agencies that support fire and emergency services in North America.

  1. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA
  2. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF)
  3. Bureau of Land Management
  4. Environmental Protection Association (EPA)

Standard 4
Identify trade, professional, and membership organizations in the United States and Canada.

  1. Factory Mutual (FM)
  2. Insurance Services Office (ISO)
  3. International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
  4. International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)

STRAND 6
Students will explore fire prevention, life safety education, and fire investigation.

Standard 1
Identify the components of fire prevention.

  1. Fire inspections
  2. Fire investigation
  3. Fire and Life Safety education

Standard 2
Explain the various responsibilities of fire and emergency services personnel regarding fire prevention.

  1. Fire inspectors
  2. Arson investigators
  3. Public outreach/information

STRAND 7
Students will explore scientific terminology.

Standard 1
Describe the properties of matter.

  1. Solid
  2. Liquid
  3. Gas

Standard 2
Explain combustion, the fire tetrahedron, and fire development.

Standard 3
Describe special considerations of fire that have particular implications for firefighter safety.

  1. Explosive capabilities/energy
  2. Heat
  3. Chemical reactions

Standard 4
Discuss the four aspects of fire extinguishment theory.

  1. Heat reduction
  2. Fuel separation
  3. Oxygen removal
  4. Interruption of the chemical chain reaction

Standard 5
Define the five main stages of fire.

  1. Incipient
  2. Growth
  3. Fully developed
  4. Flash over
  5. Decay

STRAND 8
Students will explore building construction.

Standard 1
Distinguish the main differences between the five types of building construction.

  1. Type I: Fire resistive
  2. Type II: Noncombustible
  3. Type III: Ordinary
  4. Type IV: Heavy timber
  5. Type V: Wood frame

Standard 2
Explain how common building materials affect fire prevention and code enforcement.

Standard 3
Describe the firefighter hazards related to building construction.

  1. Collapse
  2. Inhalation hazards
  3. Fire loads

STRAND 9
Students will explore fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems.

Standard 1
Discuss the reasons for installing fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems.

  1. Occupant safety
  2. Building protection
  3. Property preservation

Standard 2
Describe various types of alarm systems.

  1. Heat activated alarms
  2. Smoke alarms
  3. Flame alarms
  4. Gas alarms

Standard 3
Describe the impact of automatic sprinkler systems on fire prevention and safety.

Standard 4
Identify how various standpipe systems impact firefighting operation.


STRAND 10
Students will explore fire and emergency services apparatus, equipment, and facilities.

Standard 1
Identify fire department apparatus.

  1. Fire engines
  2. Heavy rescue
  3. HazMat
  4. Air and Light
  5. Ladder truck

Standard 2
Recognize the uses for uniforms and personal protective clothing.

Standard 3
Explain the three basic types of breathing apparatus.

  1. Pressure demand
  2. Positive pressure
  3. Supply to air-line

Standard 4
Describe how powered and non-powered tools and equipment can be used in the fire and emergency services.

  1. Powered tools
    • Generators
    • Hydraulic
    • Spreaders
    • Rams
    • Cutters
    • Battery powered
  2. Non-powered tools
    • Axe
    • Air bags
    • Halligan

Standard 5
Recognize ropes, webbing, related hardware, and harnesses as used in the fire and emergency services

  1. Life safety rope
  2. Utility rope
  3. Webbing
  4. Hardware
    • Carabiners
    • Harnesses

Standard 6
Describe why ground ladders are key to fire suppression activities.

Standard 7
Explain the basic functions of fire hose, nozzles, and hose appliances and tools.

Standard 8
Recognize uses for various fire department facilities.

  1. Training towers
  2. Fire stations
  3. Dispatch centers
  4. Headquarters/administration

STRAND 11
Students will explore fire department organization and management.

Standard 1
Discriminate between a policy and procedure as used in the fire and emergency services.

Standard 2
Describe the basic principles of organization.

  1. Span of control
  2. Division of labor
  3. Unity of command
  4. Discipline

Standard 3
Identify basic positions in the local government structure that can affect fire and emergency services.

  1. Commission
  2. Mayor/council
  3. Fire districts

Standard 4
Explain the different types of fire departments.

  1. Career
  2. Volunteer
  3. Part-paid
  4. Paid on-call

Standard 5
Describe automatic aid and mutual aid.

Standard 6
Explain the different ways a fire department can be funded.

  1. Tax revenue
  2. Bonds
  3. Grants
  4. Fundraisers
  5. Special fees

Standard 7
List the common purposes of fire protection agencies.

  1. Life safety
  2. Incident stabilization
  3. Property preservation

Standard 8
Describe how the Incident Management System works in the fire and emergency services field.


STRAND 12
Students will explore firefighter fitness issues and personal improvement.

Standard 1
Research articles related to fitness issues, inside and outside of the fire service.

  1. Importance of fitness to stay safe
  2. Lifelong fitness plans

Standard 2
Evaluate fitness articles for relevancy to firefighting.


STRAND 13
Students will explore firefighter physical fitness post assessment and goal reporting.

Standard 1
Reflect on areas of improvement in the candidate's physical fitness.

Standard 2
Evaluate and determine lifelong goals for maintaining physical fitness to qualify for careers in the fire service.


STRAND 14
Students will explore goal setting.

Standard 1
Evaluate how goal setting helps a candidate mentally and physically prepares for a job in the fire service.

Standard 2
Identify specific short-term and long-term goals related to overall wellbeing.


UEN logo http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - MAREN  HANSEN and see the CTE/Public Service & Safety website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - THALEA  LONGHURST.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.