July 2021: Training Day Lesson Plan

Welcome to FireRescue1 Training Day, providing company officers training ideas, resources and a downloadable schedule to help keep crews focused and interested on both bread-and-butter training evolutions and more varied and complex skillset development.

Your July 2021 lesson plan offers training ideas focused on high-risk incidents, fundamental fireground operations, survival skills, command and more. Incorporate the supplied resources into weekly training, engage crews in training-focused discussions, and assign hands-on activities to keep crews busy.

Objectives

The objectives of this training plan:

• Increase knowledge and skills related to active shooter events, hoseline stretches, rapid-intervention teams, size-up, knots and heat emergencies.
• Raise proficiency among crewmembers, as well as awareness of safe operations during training and real-world tactics; and
• Encourage discussion and engagement among members.

Focus areas

• MCIs: Active shooter events
• Fundamentals: Hose stretch
• Survival skills: Rapid-intervention teams
• Incident command: Size-up
• Crew choice: Knots or heat emergencies

Training schedule

Download the training calendar so you can print it up, tack it on the big board at the station or distribute it among crewmembers so they know what training to expect for the month.

Week 1: MCI: Active-shooter events

Mass-casualty incidents, including active-shooter events, present significant risk for all first responders, including firefighters. Use the following articles and video as the basis for discussion questions among fellow crewmembers.

Training resources

• Active shooter resources for firefighters

• NFPA 3000: Preparing and training firefighters for active shooter incidents (eBook)

• How to avoid the most common active shooter training mistakes

• Q&A: Active shooter prep requires adapting to the ‘new normal’

• Watch: Should firefighters be provided body armor for responses?

• Visit the FireRescue1 Academy for more active-shooter event resources and training.

Week 2: Fundamentals: hose stretch

Hoseline stretch is a high-frequency fireground operation that all members must be comfortable completing. Review the following articles, and watch the five methods of deploying a hoseline before initiating training exercises with your crew.

Training resources

• Stretching line and making the push: Know the key roles on the attack team

• Flaking out the line: Slow down to get it right the first time

• Hoseline advancement: What the first-arriving interior attack crew needs to know

• Hoseline deployment: Avoid the ‘spaghetti’ pile

Watch and discuss

• Video: 5 great ways to load and deploy fire hose

• Question: Which hoseline deployment method do you prefer?

Week 3: survival skills: Rapid intervention teams

No firefighter wants to experience a firefighter down event, but all must be prepared for one. Further, while some may see the rapid-intervention assignment as standing around, the team plays an essential role, ensuring that a plan is in place if a firefighter does need help interior.

Review the following article and videos before engaging members in an in-depth discussion of mayday techniques. Then, set aside some time to get hands-on with a bailout prop.

Training resources

• Firefighter in distress: Cuing the rapid intervention team

• Training Day: Executing a mayday save with the rapid intervention team

• Watch: Fireground Flash Tip: Rapid-intervention team tip

In the news

• Kan. crew resuscitates fellow firefighter who collapsed during fire attack operations

Ask yourself

• Do you have a RIT plan that could be executed smoothly, without crewmember panic?
• Do your members take the role and responsibilities seriously?

Week 4: incident command: Size-up

Choose the topic that makes most sense for your response area, then dive into the training resources and discussion questions to help expand your knowledge of the topic.

Training resources

• How to deliver a strong 360-degree size-up

• How to deliver strong initial on-scene size-up reports

• Essential radio skills for new incident commanders

Special coverage series

• New officers, are you ready to run the show?
• Watch: Reality Training: Tips for setting up incident command

Check firerescue1.com/training-day the last week of every month for the next Training Day schedule and resources.