First Responder Operations - 2005 Edition (24 Hours)

This operations-level course provides the tools needed to protect responder health and safety, while covering basic defensive actions, personal protective equipment, hazard recognition and identification, pre-incident planning and scene management. This course is facilitated through small group activities and real-life case studies.  Meets or exceeds OSHA (29 CFR 1910.120) and NFPA Standards (472).

[Available upon request]  [Download full course description]

Technician (80 hours)

This specialized training utilizes a modular format where a fire department may analyze its current level of competency and choose course modules that will provide the skills needed by its hazardous materials team. Training includes offensive procedures for mitigation of hazardous materials spills, leaks and exposures. Topics include chemistry, detection devices, advanced recognition and identification, pre-incident planning, incident management, scene evaluation and termination, terrorism, toxicology, medical surveillance, emergency care, PPE usage and limitations, and decontamination.

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Confined Space Operations (24 hours)

This level of training focuses on defensive support procedures for fire fighters and emergency responders. Topics include confined space regulations, pre-incident planning, potential hazards, ventilation procedures, PPE monitoring and detection devices and emergency trench operations. Meets or exceeds OSHA (29 CFR 1910.146) for operational and trench support duties.

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Confined Space Rescue (40 hours)

This training includes the information contained in the operations-level training, and expands to include offensive procedures. Topics include confined space regulations and standards, responder health and safety, PPE, monitoring and detection devices, ventilation techniques, patient care and transport, retrieval systems and specialized trench rescue procedures. Meets or exceeds OSHA (29 CFR 1910.146) for entry and trench rescue duties.

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Emergency Response to Terrorism: Operations (16 hours)

This course takes a risk-based personal scene safety and health approach to incidents of terrorism involving chemical and biological agents; nuclear, radioactive and explosive devices; and their impact on first responders. This course encourages student participation through a variety of team activities, class discussions, case studies and workbook tasks, as well as a practical exercise. This interactive, problem-solving approach to adult learning encourages critical thinking. In addition, the course incorporates operation-level hazardous materials refresher information throughout each unit, reinforcing basic response protocols.

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Instructor Training (Train-the-Trainer) (8-40 hours)

The IAFF has an updated instructor training curriculum, an eight-hour adult educational methodology course that teaches adult learning principles and facilitation skills. The adult educational methodology is delivered on the first day of the Train-the-Trainer program, followed by an overview, from an instructor’s point of view, of one or more of the IAFF’s training courses. The Train-the-Trainer allows instructors multiple opportunities to practice presentations and small group activities, and receive critiques/analyses of their deliveries. Instructors will be provided with the tools they need to effectively deliver training for fire fighters and other emergency responders who must operate in a team-based response environment.

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Illicit Drug Labs (8 hours)

This course addresses the training needs caused by the proliferation of illegal labs across the United States. The program focuses on maintaining the health and safety of fire fighters and first responders during illegal lab responses. This eight-hour course is geared toward the responders closest to the incident. Topics include recognizing and identifying illegal drug lab hazards, exposure, PPE, the role of the fire department and scene management.

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Infectious Diseases (8 hours)

This course provides specific instruction in the chain of infection, laws and standards and the personal protective measures available to emergency responders for the prevention of airborne and bloodborne pathogens.

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Avian & Pandemic Influenza (1.5 hours)

This is an interactive course that helps students prepare for a pandemic by identifying the differences between seasonal, epidemic and pandemic infections with a concentration on avian flu. This class will describe the role of the safety/infection control and prevention officers before and after a pandemic as well as how to protect themselves and their patients. Topics include: describing the symptoms, potential and effects of avian flu; how it is spread; proper decontamination procedures; and the importance of seasonal flu vaccination.

[Available upon request] [Downloadable checklist]

Frontline Safety (16 hours)

The IAFF developed a 16-hour course entitled Frontline Safety. In this course, the IAFF gives students the opportunity to examine their own values, those of their work team, and those of their organization when it comes to safety. Students learn about the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, which provides information about the causes of fire fighter injuries and fatalities. Students also learn strategies they can use to demonstrate safety is their primary value. The purpose of the course is to help decrease the number of injuries and deaths experienced by the fire service by helping students become safety leaders or advocates for safe behavior.

[Available upon request]

Chemical Process Industry (8 hours)

Funded by a grant from the Department of Labor, this course trains first responders to use the Analyze, Plan, Implement and Evaluate (APIE) response to chemical process industry and serves as refresher training for all fire fighters – not just those dedicated to hazardous materials response units.

[Download full course description]                                                                                    Completion December 2009

Training for Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Radiation (8 hours)

This course covers the physical properties, characteristics and biological effects of radiation. Recognition and identification, detection device selection and operation, emergency response planning and operations related to radiological incidents are addressed from a fire fighter’s perspective.

[Available upon request]

First Responder Operations Refresher/Radiation (24 hours)

This course offers a comprehensive review of operations-level hazardous materials response (FRO refresher), plus complete coverage for response to transportation incidents involving radioactive materials. It covers the physical properties, characteristics and biological effects of radiation. Recognition and identification, detection device selection and operation, emergency response planning and operations are also part of the lesson plan.

[Available upon request]

Training for Hazardous Materials Emergency Response: Pesticides (8 hours)

This program provides information on the classes of pesticides, recognition and identification, health effects, and tactics for emergency response. Special emphasis is placed on pesticide reactivity at a fire scene.

[Available upon request]

Chemical Process Industry (8 hours)

Instruction is geared toward operations undertaken by emergency response personnel who might respond to a chemical/petroleum processing facility. Hazards unique to these sites, recognition and identification strategies and basic defensive operations are discussed.

[Available upon request]

Emergency Medical Services (24 hours)

This program specifically addresses the roles of EMS responders and how they integrate with all other response groups at hazardous materials incidents. Detailed information on PPE usage and limitations, decontamination, patient transport, HazMat team support functions and emergency response plan customization is provided. Meets or exceeds NFPA 473 for EMS Responder 1 and 2.

[Available upon request]