Core Standards of the Course
STRAND 1
Students will explore early traditions and history of firefighting operations.
Standard 2
Review historical fires in early American history and assess their impact on building and construction standards.
Standard 3
Explain how the growth of the volunteer fire service has changed modern-day fire and emergency medical services.
Standard 5
Explore improvements and standards relating to personal firefighting clothing, equipment and SCBA capabilities.
Standard 6
Indicate how improvements in technology have increased the safety and effectiveness of the modern American fire department.
Performance Skill
Submit a case study review of a historical fire and explore its impact on improvements in firefighter safety and building construction standards.
STRAND 2
Students will examine fire chemistry as it relates to fire behavior.
Standard 4
Examine the conditions that contribute to a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE).
STRAND 3
Students will understand the components of combustion and fire behavior.
Standard 11
Distinguish the skills necessary to read smoke patterns and behavior at structural fires.
STRAND 4
Students will examine fire extinguishing agents and the methods of application for each.
Standard 2
Review the five basic classifications of fire and explain the various types of agents used to extinguish or control fires in these five classifications
Standard 3
Examine the variety of agents used for fire extinguishment and explain the application methods for each of these agents.
Standard 4
Identify and explain the benefits of using the latest technological advances in fire extinguishing agents.
STRAND 5
Students will develop an understanding of firefighting tactics and strategies.
Standard 2
Define the term "size-up" and explain the steps and factors involved in conducting a size-up at an emergency scene.
Standard 4
Identify special concerns that are found at a fire. Discuss how these concerns alter and/or impact strategies, tactics, and overall operations.
Standard 5
Explain and provide examples of historical changes in construction type, building codes, and occupancy types and loads.
Performance Skill
Write a capstone paper on a historical fire identifying building construction, fire ground strategies, and changes in codes and/or laws as a result.
STRAND 6
Students will explore fire related emergencies in high-rise buildings and the unique challenges they pose to modern fire departments
Standard 1
Explain why high-rise buildings present a difficult and different fire problem for firefighters, including the unique fire behavior problems that may be encountered in a high-rise fire.
Standard 2
Describe the firefighting strategies and tactics used to locate, confine, and extinguish high-rise fires.
Performance Skill
Submit a pre-incident survey on a high rise structure within the student's jurisdiction or nearest relevant location.
STRAND 7
Students will explore fire related emergencies in wildland and urban interface settings.
Standard 2
Describe the method used to classify resources used on wildland fires and how fire behavior impacts the type and number of resources needed to achieve containment and suppression.
Standard 7
Indicate the difference between direct, in-direct, and combination attack methods in wildland fire fighting tactics.
STRAND 8
Students will explore hazardous material related emergencies and responses within the fire service.
Standard 2
Explain the requirements, purposes, and value of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to firefighters and first responders.
Standard 3
Become familiar with the Emergency Response Guidebook and how it is used in a real-world setting.
Standard 4
Explain the issues that make weapons of mass destruction incidents complex and the reasons for the development of the National Incident Management System.
Standard 5
Illustrate the four main areas of difficulty regarding terrorism events relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
Performance Skill
Submit a case study related to a hazardous material response of your local fire agency.