An effective Fire Ops 101 event requires time and commitment. Anticipate challenges and prepare to manage the unexpected. Keep it simple to help ensure a safe event and make each scenario that requires direct hands-on participation as basic as you can. 

Planning An Effective Fire Ops

The Fire Ops 101 event should reflect an appropriate level of difficulty. You don't want participants to walk away thinking it's an easy job, but you also don't want them to push themselves too far.  Part of this process includes continually making the point that this event features staged scenarios in an extremely controlled environment.  

It's also important to strike a balance between the reality of the job and the participant's safety, particularly in the interior fire fighting scenario where participants may be overwhelmed by the PPE, the heat and the task before them in an unfamiliar environment.

It can be helpful to emphasize how much stress fire fighters experience in an actual incident. Instructors should remind participants of this repeatedly during the event.  Taking this approach allows us to remain well within a comfortable safety zone.

Download: Sample Agenda II