Basic Fire Fighting Course

Lesson 1 • Fire Department Organisation

Explains rank structure, chain of command, and unit roles within a fire department. Connects organisational awareness to safe, coordinated fireground operations.

Lesson 2 • Fire Science Fundamentals

Covers combustion chemistry, the fire tetrahedron, and heat transfer modes. Establishes the physical basis for all suppression and ventilation decisions made later.

Lesson 3 • Firefighter Health and Wellness

Addresses physical fitness standards, stress management, and occupational health risks. Healthy firefighters sustain performance and reduce injury rates on the job.

Lesson 4 • Personal Protective Equipment Basics

Introduces structural PPE components, donning procedures, and care requirements. Proper PPE use is the first line of defence against thermal and chemical hazards.

Lesson 1 • Hose Types and Specifications

Identifies attack, supply, and specialty hose by diameter, construction, and pressure rating. Correct hose selection directly affects flow rate and suppression effectiveness.

Lesson 2 • Water Supply Sources and Drafting

Explains hydrant systems, static sources, and drafting operations for rural settings. Reliable water supply is the logistical backbone of any suppression operation.

Lesson 3 • Pump Operations Fundamentals

Introduces apparatus pump controls, pressure management, and basic hydraulic calculations. Pump operators ensure correct pressure reaches each attack line simultaneously.

Lesson 4 • Nozzle Types and Fire Streams

Covers smooth bore, combination, and foam nozzles along with stream pattern selection. Matching nozzle to fire conditions maximises suppression while minimising water damage.

Lesson 1 • Ventilation Principles and Execution

Explains positive pressure, negative pressure, and hydraulic ventilation methods and timing. Proper ventilation reduces heat and smoke, improving visibility and crew survivability.

Lesson 2 • Forcible Entry Methods

Covers manual and power tool techniques for breaching doors, windows, and walls. Controlled entry preserves structural integrity and limits unnecessary property damage.

Lesson 3 • Overhaul and Loss Control

Addresses systematic hot-spot detection, debris handling, and property preservation after knockdown. Thorough overhaul prevents rekindle and demonstrates professional stewardship.

Lesson 4 • Size-Up and Pre-Attack Assessment

Teaches systematic scene evaluation covering life safety, fire location, and resource needs. Accurate size-up drives every tactical decision that follows on the fireground.

Lesson 1 • Victim Packaging and Carries

Demonstrates drag, carry, and packaging techniques for conscious and unconscious victims. Correct packaging prevents secondary injury during rapid removal from hazardous areas.

Lesson 2 • Technical Rescue Awareness

Introduces confined space, trench, and structural collapse rescue at the awareness level. Awareness training prevents untrained responders from becoming additional victims.

Lesson 3 • Victim Assessment and Triage

Covers rapid victim assessment, START triage, and prioritisation for removal. Quick triage allocates limited rescue resources to those with the best survival outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Search Patterns and Orientation

Teaches primary and secondary search patterns, wall-following, and orientation under zero visibility. Systematic patterns ensure complete coverage and prevent missed victims.

Lesson 1 • CPR and Automated Defibrillation

Applies adult, child, and infant CPR protocols and AED operation in fire scene contexts. Early, high-quality CPR and defibrillation are the primary determinants of cardiac arrest survival.

Lesson 2 • Trauma and Haemorrhage Control

Covers tourniquet application, wound packing, and splinting for fire-related trauma injuries. Rapid haemorrhage control prevents preventable death from external blood loss.

Lesson 3 • Airway Management and Breathing

Teaches manual airway manoeuvres, adjunct use, and supplemental oxygen delivery methods. Patent airway management is the highest-priority intervention in any medical emergency.

Lesson 4 • Burns, Smoke Inhalation, and Toxins

Addresses burn classification, cooling protocols, and treatment of smoke inhalation and CO poisoning. Fire-specific medical emergencies require targeted interventions beyond standard trauma care.

Lesson 1 • Decontamination Procedures

Demonstrates emergency and technical decontamination methods for victims and responders. Effective decon stops the spread of contamination beyond the incident perimeter.

Lesson 2 • Hazmat Incident Command Integration

Applies ICS structure to hazmat incidents including unified command and specialist integration. Co-ordinated command prevents freelancing and ensures resource accountability at complex scenes.

Lesson 3 • Protective Action Zones and Evacuation

Explains hot, warm, and cold zone establishment, isolation distances, and shelter-in-place decisions. Zone management prevents cross-contamination and protects unprotected responders.

Lesson 4 • Hazmat Recognition and Identification

Teaches placard systems, container shapes, and reference guide use for hazmat identification. Correct identification is the prerequisite for all subsequent risk and response decisions.

Lesson 1 • Wildland Suppression Tactics

Teaches direct and indirect attack, handline construction, and backfire use in wildland settings. Tactic selection balances suppression speed against crew safety and resource availability.

Lesson 2 • Wildland Resource and Air Operations

Explains air tanker, helicopter, and ground resource coordination on large wildland incidents. Effective air-ground coordination multiplies suppression capacity and reduces crew exposure.

Lesson 3 • Wildland Safety and Lookouts

Covers the Ten Standard Firefighting Orders, 18 Watch-Out Situations, and LCES safety system. Adherence to these standards is the primary defence against entrapment and burnover.

Lesson 4 • Wildland-Urban Interface Operations

Addresses structure triage, defensible space assessment, and structure preparation at the WUI. Interface operations require simultaneous wildland and structural firefighting competencies.

Lesson 1 • Resource Management and Accountability

Applies personnel accountability systems, resource typing, and staging area management. Accountability systems ensure every responder is tracked and no one is left unaccounted for.

Lesson 2 • Incident Action Planning

Covers operational period planning, objective setting, and resource assignment in the IAP. A clear IAP aligns all responders toward shared tactical and safety objectives.

Lesson 3 • Decision-Making Under Pressure

Applies recognition-primed decision models, situational awareness, and crew resource management. Sound decisions under stress reduce tactical errors and prevent firefighter casualties.

Lesson 4 • ICS Structure and Principles

Reviews ICS organisational components, span of control, and unity of command principles. Mastery of ICS structure enables seamless integration with mutual aid and multi-agency responses.