Fire Science

General. For qualification at Level I, the fire fighter candidate shall meet the general knowledge requirements in 4.1.1, the general skill requirements in 4.1.2, the JPRs defined in Sections 4.2 through 4.5 of this standard, knowledge of the incident management system, and the requirements defined in Chapter 5 as well as mission-specific competencies in Section 6.2, Personal Protective Equipment, and Section 6.6, Product Control, of NFPA 1072.

Fire Department Communications. This duty shall involve initiating responses, receiving telephone calls, and using fire department communications equipment to correctly relay verbal or written information, according to the JPRs in 4.2.1 through 4.2.4

Fireground Operations. This duty shall involve performing activities necessary to ensure life safety, ‰re control, and property conservation,  according to the JPRs in 4.3.1 through 4.3.21.

Preparedness and Maintenance. This duty shall involve performing activities that reduce the loss of life and property due to fire through response readiness, according to the JPRs in 4.5.1 and 4.5.2

For qualification at Level II, the Fire Fighter II shall meet the general knowledge requirements in 5.1.1, the general skill requirements in 5.1.2, the JPRs defined in Sections 5.2 through 5.5 of this standard, the requirements defined in Chapter 4, and knowledge of the Incident Management System sections of ICS 200 as described.

Fire Department Communications. This duty shall involve performing activities related to initiating and reporting responses, according to the JPRs in 5.2.1 and 5.2.2.

Fireground Operations. This duty shall involve performing activities necessary to ensure life safety, fire control, and property conservation, according to the JPRs in 5.3.1 through 5.3.4.

Rescue Operations. This duty shall involve performing activities related to accessing and disentangling victims from motor vehicle accidents and helping special rescue teams, according to the JPRs in 5.4.1 and 5.4.2

Fire and Life Safety Initiatives, Preparedness, and Maintenance. This duty shall involve performing activities related to reducing the loss of life and property due to fire through hazard identification, inspection, and response readiness, according to the JPRs in 5.5.1 through 5.5.5.

General EMS Requirments

Levels of Training and Service. Emergency medical services shall include at least one of the following: (1) First aid provider (2) Emergency medical responder (also known as medical first responder) (3) Emergency medical technician (4) Advanced emergency medical technician (5) Paramedic

The organization of the fire department; the role of the Fire Fighter I in the organization; The mission of fire service; The fire department’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and rules and regulations as they apply to the Fire Fighter I; The value of fire and life safety initiatives in support of the fire department mission and to reduce fire fighter line-of-duty injuries and fatalities; the role of other agencies as they relate to the fire department; the signs and symptoms of behavioral and emotional distress; aspects of the fire department’s member assistance program; the importance of physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle to the performance of the duties of a fire fighter; the critical aspects of NFPA 1500

General Skill Requirements. The ability to don personal protective clothing, doff personal protective clothing, perform field reduction of contaminants and prepare for reuse, hoist tools and equipment using ropes and the correct knot, and locate information in departmental documents and standard or code materials

Initiate the response to a reported emergency, given the report of an emergency, fire department SOPs, and communications equipment, so that all necessary information is obtained, communications equipment is operated correctly, and the information is relayed promptly and accurately to the dispatch center

Receive a telephone call, given a fire department phone, so that procedures for answering the phone are used and the caller’s information is relayed

Transmit and receive messages via the ‰re department radio, given a ‰re department radio and operating procedures, so that the information is accurate, complete, clear, and relayed within the time established by the AHJ.

Activate an emergency call for assistance, given visionobscured conditions, PPE, and department SOPs, so that the fire fighter can be located and rescued.

Use self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) during emergency operations, given SCBA and other PPE, so that the SCBA is correctly donned, the SCBA is correctly worn, control‐ led breathing techniques are used, emergency procedures are enacted if the SCBA fails, all low-air warnings are recognized, respiratory protection is not intentionally compromised, and hazardous areas are exited prior to air depletion.

Respond on apparatus to an emergency scene, given personal protective clothing and other necessary PPE, so that the apparatus is correctly mounted and dismounted, seat belts are used while the vehicle is in motion, and other personal protective equipment is correctly used.

Establish and operate in work areas at emergency scenes, given protective equipment, traffic and scene control devices, structure fire and roadway emergency scenes, traffic hazards and downed electrical wires, photovoltaic power systems, battery storage systems, an assignment, and SOPs, so that procedures are followed, protective equipment is worn, protected work areas are established as directed using traffic and scene control devices, and the fire fighter performs assigned tasks only in established, protected work areas.

Force entry into a structure, given PPE, tools, and an assignment, so that the tools are used as designed, the barrier is removed, and the opening is in a safe condition and ready for entry. 

Exit a hazardous area as a team, given vision-obscured conditions, so that a safe haven is found before exhausting the air supply, others are not endangered, and the team integrity is maintained.

Set up, mount, ascend, dismount, and descend ground ladders, given single and extension ladders, an assignment, and team members if needed, so that hazards are assessed, the ladder is stable, the angle is correct for climbing, extension ladders are extended to the necessary height with the Žy locked, the top is placed against a reliable structural component, and the assignment is accomplished.

Attack a passenger vehicle fire operating as a member of a team, given PPE, an attack line, and hand tools, so that hazards are avoided, leaking flammable liquids are identified and controlled, protection from flash fires is maintained, all vehicle compartments are overhauled, and the fire is extinguished.

Extinguish fires in exterior Class A materials, given fires in stacked or piled and small unattached structures or storage containers that can be fought from the exterior, attack lines, hand tools and master stream devices, and an assignment, so that exposures are protected, the spread of fire is stopped, collapse hazards are avoided, water application is effective, the fire is extinguished, and signs of the origin area(s) and arson are preserved.

Conduct a search and rescue in a structure operating as a member of a team, given an assignment, obscured vision conditions, personal protective equipment, a flashlight, forcible entry tools, hose lines, and ladders when necessary, so that ladders are correctly placed when used, all assigned areas are searched, all victims are located and removed, team integrity is maintained, and team members’ safety, including respiratory protection, is not compromised.

Attack an interior structure fire operating as a member of a team, given an attack line, ladders when needed, personal protective equipment, tools, and an assignment, so that team integrity is maintained, the attack line is deployed for advancement, ladders are correctly placed when used, access is gained into the fire area, effective water application practices are used, the fire is approached correctly, attack techniques facilitate suppression given the level of the fire, hidden fires are located and controlled, the correct body posture is maintained, hazards are recognized and managed, and the fire is brought under control

Perform horizontal ventilation on a structure operating as part of a team, given an assignment, PPE, ventilation tools, equipment, and ladders, so that the ventilation openings are free of obstructions, tools are used as designed, ladders are correctly placed, ventilation devices are correctly placed, and the structure is cleared of smoke.

Perform vertical ventilation on a structure as part of a team, given an assignment, PPE, ground and roof ladders, and tools, so that ladders are positioned for ventilation, a specified opening is created, all ventilation barriers are removed, structural integrity is not compromised, products of combustion are released from the structure, and the team retreats from the area when ventilation is accomplished.

Overhaul a fire scene, given PPE, an attack line, hand tools, a flashlight, and an assignment, so that structural integrity is not compromised, all hidden fires are discovered, fire cause evidence is preserved, and the fire is extinguished

Conserve property as a member of a team, given salvage tools and equipment and an assignment, so that the building and its contents are protected from further damage.

Connect a fire department pumper to a water supply as a member of a team, given supply or intake hose, hose tools, and a fire hydrant or static water source, so that connections are tight and water flow is unobstructed.

Extinguish incipient Class A, Class B, and Class C fires, given a selection of portable fire extinguishers, so that the correct extinguisher is chosen, the fire is completely extinguished, and correct extinguisher-handling techniques are followed.

Operate emergency scene lighting, given fire service lighting equipment, power supply, and an assignment, so that emergency scene lighting equipment is operated within the manufacturer’s listed safety precautions.

Turn off building utilities, given tools and an assignment, so that the assignment is safely completed.

Combat a ground cover fire operating as a member of a team, given protective clothing, SCBA (if needed), hose lines, extinguishers or hand tools, and an assignment, so that threats to property are reported, threats to personal safety are recognized, retreat is quickly accomplished when warranted, and the assignment is completed.

Tie a knot appropriate for hoisting tools, given PPE, tools, ropes, and an assignment, so that the knots used are appropriate for hoisting tools securely and as directed.

Air Monitoring. Operate an air-monitoring instrument, given an air monitor and an assignment or task, so that the device is operated and the firefighter recognizes the high- or low-level alarms of the air monitor and takes action to mitigate the hazard.

Clean and check ladders, ventilation equipment, SCBA, ropes, salvage equipment, and hand tools, given cleaning tools, cleaning supplies, and an assignment, so that equipment is clean and maintained according to manufacturer’s or depart‐ mental guidelines, maintenance is recorded, and equipment is placed in a ready state or reported otherwise.

Clean, inspect, and return fire hose to service, given washing equipment, water, detergent, tools, and replacement gaskets, so that damage is noted and corrected, the hose is clean, and the equipment is placed in a ready state for service.

Responsibilities of the Fire Fighter II in assuming and transferring command within an incident management system, performing assigned duties in conformance with applicable NFPA and other safety regulations and AHJ procedures, and the role of a Fire Fighter II within the organization.

Complete a basic incident report, given the report forms, guidelines, and information, so that all pertinent information is recorded, the information is accurate, and the report is complete

Communicate the need for team assistance, given fire department communications equipment, SOPs, and a team, so that the supervisor is consistently informed of team needs, departmental SOPs are followed, and the assignment is accomplished safely.

Extinguish an ignitable liquid fire, operating as a member of a team, given an assignment, an attack line, PPE, a foam proportioning device, a nozzle, foam concentrates, and a water supply, so that the correct type of foam concentrate is selected for the given fuel and conditions, a properly proportioned foam stream is applied to the surface of the fuel to create and maintain a foam blanket, fire is extinguished, re-ignition is prevented, team protection is maintained with a foam stream, and the hazard is faced until retreat to safe haven is reached.

Coordinate an interior attack line for a team’s accomplishment of an assignment in a structure fire, given attack lines, personnel, PPE, and tools, so that crew integrity is established; attack techniques are selected for the given level of the fire (e.g., attic, grade level, upper levels, or basement); attack techniques are communicated to the attack teams; constant team coordination is maintained; fire growth and development is continuously evaluated; search, rescue, and ventilation requirements are communicated or managed; hazards are reported to the attack teams; and incident command is apprised of changing conditions.

Control a flammable gas cylinder fire, operating as a member of a team, given an assignment, a cylinder outside of a structure, an attack line, PPE, and tools, so that crew integrity is maintained, contents are identified, safe havens are identified prior to advancing, open valves are closed, flames are not extinguished unless the leaking gas is eliminated, the cylinder is cooled, cylinder integrity is evaluated, hazardous conditions are recognized and acted upon, and the cylinder is faced during approach and retreat.

Protect evidence of fire cause and origin, given a flash‐ light and overhaul tools, so that the evidence is noted and protected from further disturbance until investigators can arrive on the scene.

Extricate a victim entrapped in a motor vehicle as part of a team, given stabilization and extrication tools, so that the vehicle is stabilized, the victim is disentangled without further injury, and hazards are managed.

Assist rescue operation teams, given standard operating procedures, necessary rescue equipment, and an assignment, so that procedures are followed, rescue items are recognized and retrieved in the time as prescribed by the AHJ, and the assignment is completed.

Perform a fire safety survey in an occupied structure, given survey forms and procedures, so that fire and life safety hazards are identified, recommendations for their correction are made to the occupant, and unresolved issues are referred to the proper authority.

Present fire safety information to station visitors or small groups, given prepared materials, so that all information is presented, the information is accurate, and questions are answered or referred. 

Prepare a preincident survey, given forms, necessary tools, and an assignment, so that all required occupancy information is recorded, items of concern are noted, and accurate sketches or diagrams are prepared.

Maintain power plants, power tools, and lighting equipment, given tools and manufacturers’ instructions, so that equipment is clean and maintained according to manufacturer and departmental guidelines, maintenance is recorded, and equipment is placed in a ready state or reported otherwise.

Perform an annual service test on fire hose, given a pump, a marking device, pressure gauges, a timer, record sheets, and related equipment, so that procedures are followed, the condition of the hose is evaluated, any damaged hose is removed from service, and the results are recorded.

The AHJ shall determine the level of emergency medical services to be provided.

First Aid Provider. Performs minimum emergency medical care performance capabilities for entry-level personnel that are developed and validated by the AHJ to include infection control, CPR/AED, bleeding control, and shock management.

 Emergency Medical Responder (also known as Medical First Responder). With a limited amount of equipment, answers emergency calls to provide efficient and immediate care to ill and injured patients focused on lifesaving interventions.

Emergency Medical Technician. Performs scene size up, evaluates scene safety, and recognizes the need for higher levels of medical care as it relates to patient assessment, airway management, breathing and circulation, bleeding, shock management, and immobilizing potential spinal or other bone fractures as approved by AHJ.