Civil Firefighter Refresher Course

Lesson 1 • Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Refresher

This module reviews SCBA donning, air management, and emergency procedures. It reinforces the foundational skills required before any interior firefighting operations.

Lesson 2 • Personal Protective Equipment Standards

This module covers proper donning, doffing, and inspection of structural personal protective equipment (PPE). It connects equipment integrity directly to firefighter survivability on the fireground.

Lesson 3 • Firefighter Survival Techniques

This module addresses disorientation, entrapment, and Mayday activation procedures. It builds the survival mindset that underpins all advanced rescue and suppression chapters.

Lesson 1 • Fire Development Stages

This topic traces fire progression from incipient through fully developed and decay phases. It enables firefighters to read conditions and anticipate dangerous transitions.

Lesson 2 • Ventilation Effects on Fire Behavior

This topic explains how openings alter fire growth, smoke movement, and suppression effectiveness. It prepares firefighters for coordinated ventilation decisions covered in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Smoke Reading and Fire Gas Behavior

This topic teaches interpretation of smoke volume, velocity, colour, and density. It directly informs entry decisions and nozzle placement in later suppression chapters.

Lesson 4 • Principles of Combustion

This topic explains the fire tetrahedron, heat release rate (rate at which a fire releases thermal energy, measured in kilowatts), and ignition thresholds. It provides the chemical foundation needed to understand suppression agent selection.

Lesson 1 • Nozzle Types and Flow Management

This topic covers smooth bore, combination, and specialty nozzle characteristics and flow settings. It enables informed nozzle selection for the suppression tactics in Chapter 4.

Lesson 2 • Hose Deployment and Advancement

This topic teaches efficient hose loads, stretches, and advancement techniques for various building types. It directly supports interior attack operations introduced in Chapter 4.

Lesson 3 • Hydraulic Principles and Friction Loss

This topic reviews pressure, flow, and friction loss calculations for common hose configurations. It provides the hydraulic literacy needed for pump operations and relay supply.

Lesson 4 • Hose Types and Selection Criteria

This topic reviews attack, supply, and specialty hose specifications and appropriate use cases. It grounds firefighters in equipment knowledge before advancing to deployment techniques.

Lesson 1 • Exterior and Transitional Attack

This topic covers blitz attack, transitional cooling, and defensive master stream (large-calibre water stream from monitor or deck gun) operations. It provides safe alternatives when interior conditions exceed acceptable risk thresholds.

Lesson 2 • Offensive Versus Defensive Mode Decision

This topic establishes criteria for selecting, transitioning, and communicating operational mode. It integrates risk assessment from Chapter 1 with structural knowledge from Chapter 2.

Lesson 3 • Interior Attack Techniques

This topic covers door control, flow path management, and nozzle techniques for interior suppression. It builds directly on hose advancement and fire behaviour skills from Chapters 2 and 3.

Lesson 4 • Coordinated Ventilation and Attack

This topic teaches synchronised timing of ventilation and water application to control flow paths. It prevents unintended fire spread caused by uncoordinated crew actions.

Lesson 1 • Search Methodology and Prioritization

This topic covers primary and secondary search objectives, victim location probability, and room prioritisation. It establishes the systematic approach that prevents missed victims.

Lesson 2 • Search Techniques in Zero Visibility

This topic teaches oriented, oriented-with-rope, and thermal imaging camera-assisted search methods. It directly applies breathing apparatus and survival skills from Chapter 1 to victim location tasks.

Lesson 3 • Victim Removal Techniques

This topic covers drags, carries, and stair descent methods for victims of varying size and condition. It ensures firefighters can remove victims without causing secondary injury.

Lesson 4 • Accountability During Search Operations

This topic addresses personnel accountability systems, entry/exit logging, and PAR reporting. It prevents firefighter loss during complex multi-crew search operations.

Lesson 1 • Hemorrhage Control and Shock Management

This topic teaches tourniquet application, wound packing, and pressure dressing for severe bleeding. It addresses the leading cause of preventable fireground and trauma fatalities.

Lesson 2 • CPR and AED Refresher

This topic reviews high-quality CPR technique, compression-to-ventilation ratios, and AED operation. It ensures firefighters maintain certification-level cardiac arrest response skills.

Lesson 3 • Burns, Smoke Inhalation, and Heat Illness

This topic covers burn classification, inhalation injury signs, and heat-related illness management. It addresses the most common medical emergencies encountered at fire incidents.

Lesson 4 • Fireground Trauma Assessment

This topic covers rapid trauma assessment adapted for fireground conditions and personal protective equipment (PPE) constraints. It connects victim packaging from Chapter 5 to systematic medical evaluation.

Lesson 1 • Incident Escalation and Mutual Aid

This topic addresses triggers for escalating command, requesting mutual aid, and integrating arriving resources. It prepares firefighters for large-scale incidents beyond single-company response.

Lesson 2 • Sector and Division Assignment

This topic teaches geographic and functional sector designation and reporting responsibilities. It enables firefighters to operate within assigned areas and report status accurately.

Lesson 3 • Incident Command System Review

This topic reviews ICS organisational structure, span of control, and unity of command principles. It establishes the command framework that coordinates all tactics from previous chapters.

Lesson 4 • Fireground Radio Communication

This topic covers radio discipline, standard terminology, and message formatting for fireground use. It prevents communication failures that contribute to firefighter injuries and tactical errors.

Lesson 1 • Solar Panel and Renewable Energy Hazards

This topic covers energised solar array risks, roof load concerns, and suppression limitations. It prepares firefighters for hazards present in an expanding number of residential structures.

Lesson 2 • Confined Space and Trench Rescue Awareness

This topic reviews permit-required confined space hazards and trench collapse recognition. It establishes awareness-level boundaries before technical rescue teams take over.

Lesson 3 • Hazardous Materials Awareness

This topic reviews recognition, placarding, and isolation procedures at hazmat incidents. It establishes the awareness-level response boundary before specialist resources arrive.

Lesson 4 • Alternative Fuel Vehicle Incidents

This topic addresses electric vehicle battery fires, hydrogen fuel cell hazards, and hybrid vehicle risks. It provides safe response procedures for an increasingly common incident type.