The deaths of firefighters who die while trying to protect others are tragic. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), between 1983 and 2002, 10 fire deaths occurred not at emergencies, but when firefighters were learning how to fight fires in live training exercises.
Live fire training is the most effective way to teach firefighter strategies that they use inside real fire emergencies. This is the ultimate on-the job training. Many departments have “burn buildings” where these exercises are held. Some departments are fortunate enough to have homes donated to them. These homes are burned and used for training.
No fire department wants to lose one of their own, so every safety precaution is taken. Still, when dealing with fire a lot can go wrong. In light of the 10 deaths, NIOSH makes these recommendations for live fire-training:
Instructors
- Ensure that the instructor in charge is aware of his or her responsibility for overall coordination of the training and compliance with NFPA 1403.
- Ensure that instructors are qualified to provide live-fire training. Verify instructor [NFPA 2002b] and officer qualifications [NFPA 2003a] through national certifying agencies such as the National Professional Qualifications Board, the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress, or through a State fire board or commission.
Site Set Up
- Ensure that the acquired structure is adequate and safe to be used for live-fire training. Use Appendix B of NFPA 1403 as a checklist for pre-burn planning, building preparation, and pre-burn/post-burn procedures.
- Develop, implement, and train fire fighters in standard operating procedures (SOPs) for live-fire training.
- Conduct a pre-burn briefing session for all participants, and establish an evacuation plan and signal.
- Ensure that a sufficient water supply is available.
- Ensure that the fuels used in the live-fire training have known burning characteristics.
- Inspect the structure for possible environmental hazards.
- Do not use flammable or combustible liquids in live-fire training.
- Do not set fires for live-fire training in any designated exit paths.
- Do not allow anyone to play the role of victim inside the structure during live-fire training.
- Establish a method of fire ground communication among the IC and fire fighters.
- Ensure that proper ventilation is in place before the onset of a controlled burn and is coordinated with interior operations.
- Ensure that backup personnel are standing by with equipment, ready to provide assistance or rescue.
- Ensure that all fire fighters participating in live-fire training have had minimum basic training.
- Ensure that each fire fighter is equipped with NFPA-compliant full protective clothing, a NIOSH approved self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and a personal alert safety system (PASS).
- Establish rehabilitation operations at training exercises that pose the risk of fire fighters exceeding a safe level of physical or mental endurance [NFPA 2003b].
Site Safety
- Appoint a separate, adequately trained safety officer that has the authority to intervene in any aspect of the live-fire training.
- Ensure that all participants are accounted for when entering and exiting the building.
- Assign only one person as the ignition officer. Ensure that he or she is not a fire fighter participating in the training.
- Ensure that the ignition officer lights only one training fire at a time.
- Ensure that a charged hose line is present while igniting the fire.
- Use a thermal imaging camera during live-fire training situations to observe fire fighters and monitor heat conditions for safety.
Training Participants
- Follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established by the department.
- Use NFPA-compliant full protective clothing, an SCBA, and a PASS device, as provided by the department.
- Do not enter a hazardous environment alone. Enter only as a team of two or more.
- Be familiar with the fire department’s evacuation plan and signal.
Source: www.cdc.gov/niosh
Article provided by Kim Berly
