Basic Fire Safety Course

Lesson 1 • Stages of Fire Development

Covers incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay fire stages. Recognising each stage enables timely and appropriate response decisions.

Lesson 2 • Fire Spread Mechanisms

Explains conduction, convection, radiation, and direct flame contact as spread pathways. Knowing these mechanisms guides building layout and fire barrier decisions.

Lesson 3 • Common Ignition Sources

Identifies electrical faults, open flames, hot surfaces, and spontaneous combustion as primary ignition sources. This knowledge supports targeted hazard elimination.

Lesson 1 • Conducting a Basic Hazard Survey

Guides students through a structured walk-through process to identify, prioritise, and report hazards. Practical survey skills translate directly to workplace fire prevention roles.

Lesson 2 • Fuel Load Assessment

Teaches quantifying combustible materials per unit area to estimate fire severity potential. Accurate fuel load data informs suppression system design and evacuation planning.

Lesson 3 • Housekeeping and Storage Hazards

Addresses clutter accumulation, improper chemical storage, and blocked egress as compounding fire hazards. Good housekeeping is a primary and low-cost prevention measure.

Lesson 4 • Classifying Fire Hazards

Distinguishes common, special, and severe hazard categories based on fuel load and occupancy type. Classification directs the level of protective measures required.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Fire Prevention

Establishes the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and personal protection. Prevention is more effective and less costly than suppression.

Lesson 2 • Electrical Safety and Fire Prevention

Addresses safe electrical practices including load management, equipment maintenance, and lockout procedures. Electrical fire prevention requires both technical knowledge and behavioural discipline.

Lesson 3 • Hot Work Safety Procedures

Details permit systems, area preparation, fire watch duties, and post-work inspection for welding, cutting, and grinding operations. Hot work is a leading cause of preventable fires.

Lesson 4 • Safe Handling of Flammable Materials

Covers flash point, vapour pressure, and safe storage and handling procedures for flammable and combustible liquids. Proper handling prevents the most common industrial fire scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Alarm System Components

Explains control panels, notification appliances, manual pull stations, and monitoring connections. Understanding system architecture helps occupants respond correctly to alarm signals.

Lesson 2 • Types of Fire Detectors

Compares ionisation, photoelectric, heat, and flame detectors by operating principle and best-use application. Selecting the right detector type is critical to early and reliable fire detection.

Lesson 3 • Alarm Signal Interpretation

Distinguishes alert, evacuation, and trouble signals and the correct response to each. Misinterpreting alarm signals is a leading cause of delayed or incorrect emergency response.

Lesson 1 • System Impairment Management

Addresses planned and unplanned suppression system impairments, notification requirements, and compensatory measures. Unmanaged impairments significantly increase fire risk during outages.

Lesson 2 • Gaseous and Foam Suppression Systems

Covers clean agent, carbon dioxide, and foam systems used in special hazard environments. These systems protect areas where water would damage assets or be ineffective.

Lesson 3 • Standpipe and Hose Systems

Describes Class I, II, and III standpipe systems and their intended users. Standpipes extend manual firefighting capability to upper floors and large buildings.

Lesson 1 • Operating an Extinguisher Safely

Teaches the PASS technique, safe approach distance, and decision criteria for attempting suppression. Students practise hands-on discharge to build muscle memory and confidence.

Lesson 2 • Extinguisher Ratings and Placement

Explains numerical and letter ratings, travel distance requirements, and mounting height standards. Proper placement ensures extinguishers are accessible within critical response time.

Lesson 3 • Extinguisher Types and Agents

Compares water, dry chemical, CO2, wet chemical, and clean agent extinguishers by agent, rating, and suitable fire class. Agent selection directly affects suppression effectiveness and safety.

Lesson 4 • Inspection and Maintenance

Covers monthly visual inspections, annual maintenance, and hydrostatic testing intervals. Documented inspections confirm extinguishers are charged and ready for immediate use.

Lesson 1 • Evacuation Plan Design

Covers exit route selection, assembly point designation, and floor plan mapping for evacuation plans. A well-designed plan reduces confusion and speeds safe egress during emergencies.

Lesson 2 • Roles and Responsibilities

Defines warden, deputy warden, and accountability officer roles within an evacuation organisation. Clear role assignment prevents duplication and gaps during an actual emergency.

Lesson 3 • Evacuation of Vulnerable Occupants

Addresses procedures for evacuating persons with mobility, sensory, or cognitive impairments. Inclusive evacuation planning is both an ethical obligation and a regulatory requirement.

Lesson 4 • Conducting and Evaluating Drills

Guides drill planning, execution, timing, and post-drill critique to improve evacuation performance. Regular drills reveal procedural gaps before a real emergency exposes them.

Lesson 1 • Fire Safety Policy and Programme Structure

Defines the components of a written fire safety policy, including scope, objectives, and management commitment. A formal policy establishes accountability and drives consistent programme implementation.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory Compliance Fundamentals

Covers how fire safety regulations, codes, and standards interact and how to maintain ongoing compliance. Understanding the regulatory framework prevents violations and protects occupants.

Lesson 3 • Fire Safety Inspections and Audits

Teaches internal inspection scheduling, audit checklists, finding classification, and corrective action tracking. Systematic audits identify deficiencies before they result in fires or regulatory penalties.

Lesson 4 • Continuous Improvement in Fire Safety

Applies plan-do-check-act cycles, performance indicators, and management review to sustain and improve fire safety programmes. Continuous improvement transforms reactive programmes into proactive safety cultures.