Fire Emergency Planning Course

Lesson 1 • Planning Cycle and Documentation

Explains the iterative emergency planning cycle and its documentation requirements. Firefighters produce structured planning records aligned with operational needs.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Planning Roles and Responsibilities

Defines the firefighter's role within the emergency planning structure. Connects individual duties to departmental and interagency planning obligations.

Lesson 3 • Hazard Identification Fundamentals

Covers methods for identifying community and facility hazards. Builds the analytical foundation needed for risk-based planning decisions.

Lesson 1 • Community Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis

Examines tools for analysing community-level hazards and population vulnerabilities. Outputs feed directly into resource and response planning decisions.

Lesson 2 • Risk Assessment Methodology

Introduces structured risk assessment frameworks used in fire service planning. Connects methodology selection to the hazard types identified in Chapter 1.

Lesson 3 • Risk Communication and Reporting

Covers methods for communicating risk findings to decision-makers and the public. Accurate reporting ensures planning resources are allocated appropriately.

Lesson 4 • Facility and Site Risk Profiling

Teaches site-specific risk profiling for high-hazard occupancies and facilities. Profiles are used to prioritise pre-incident planning efforts.

Lesson 1 • Incident Action Planning

Teaches the development of incident action plans aligned with operational periods. Plans integrate objectives, tactics, and safety considerations into a unified document.

Lesson 2 • Incident Command System Structure

Explains the organisational structure and core components of the incident command system. Establishes the command framework used throughout all subsequent planning activities.

Lesson 3 • Roles Within the Command Structure

Details specific roles and responsibilities at each level of the command structure. Firefighters identify their position and function during escalating incidents.

Lesson 4 • Resource Management and Tracking

Covers resource typing, ordering, and tracking within the command system. Effective resource management reduces operational gaps during complex incidents.

Lesson 1 • Documenting Pre-Incident Plans

Covers standardised formats for recording and organising pre-incident plan data. Proper documentation ensures plans are usable under high-stress incident conditions.

Lesson 2 • Special Occupancy Pre-Planning

Addresses unique pre-planning considerations for high-hazard and special-use occupancies. Students adapt standard survey methods to complex facility types.

Lesson 3 • Conducting Effective Site Surveys

Teaches systematic methods for gathering critical site information during facility surveys. Data collected forms the basis of the written pre-incident plan.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Incident Planning Principles

Establishes the purpose and value of pre-incident planning in fire service operations. Connects pre-planning directly to improved incident outcomes and firefighter safety.

Lesson 1 • Resource and Logistics Planning

Covers identification, staging, and management of resources needed to execute the operations plan. Logistics planning ensures sustained operational capability across extended incidents.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Operations Plan Structure

Introduces the standard architecture of an emergency operations plan and its functional annexes. Students understand how each component supports coordinated response.

Lesson 3 • Evacuation and Shelter Planning

Addresses the development of evacuation routes, shelter locations, and population movement strategies. Plans account for vulnerable populations and transportation constraints.

Lesson 4 • Developing Response Objectives

Teaches how to write clear, measurable response objectives tied to specific hazard scenarios. Objectives drive resource allocation and tactical decision-making during incidents.

Lesson 1 • Community Evacuation in Veld Fire Events

Develops evacuation planning skills tailored to the rapid onset of veld fire threats. Plans address road network limitations and simultaneous evacuation and ingress conflicts.

Lesson 2 • Veld Fire Behaviour Fundamentals

Covers the environmental factors that drive veld fire behaviour and spread. Understanding fire behaviour is prerequisite to effective suppression and evacuation planning.

Lesson 3 • Veld Fire Suppression Resource Planning

Addresses resource typing, deployment, and coordination specific to veld fire operations. Students plan for aerial, ground, and support resources across extended campaigns.

Lesson 4 • Post-Fire Recovery Planning

Introduces planning considerations for the recovery phase following veld fire events. Students identify secondary hazards and coordinate with recovery agencies.

Lesson 1 • Hazmat Incident Classification and Identification

Covers classification systems, placarding, and identification tools for hazardous materials. Accurate identification is the foundation of safe and effective hazmat response planning.

Lesson 2 • Hazmat Response Zone Planning

Teaches the establishment and management of hot, warm, and cold zones at hazmat incidents. Zone planning protects responders and the public while enabling effective operations.

Lesson 3 • Protective Action Decision-Making

Addresses the decision framework for selecting evacuation or shelter-in-place as protective actions. Decisions are driven by material properties, weather, and population factors.

Lesson 4 • Hazmat Resource and Equipment Planning

Covers the identification and pre-positioning of specialised hazmat response resources. Students plan for personal protective equipment, detection tools, and containment assets.

Lesson 1 • Triage Systems and Patient Flow Planning

Covers triage methodologies and the planning of patient flow from scene to definitive care. Efficient patient flow planning reduces preventable mortality in mass casualty events.

Lesson 2 • Large-Scale Incident Resource Surge

Teaches strategies for rapidly scaling resources to meet large-scale incident demands. Surge planning integrates mutual aid, volunteer resources, and logistics expansion.

Lesson 3 • Mass Casualty Incident Fundamentals

Introduces the defining characteristics and planning challenges of mass casualty incidents. Establishes the conceptual framework for all subsequent MCI planning activities.

Lesson 4 • Post-Incident Recovery and Demobilisation

Covers the structured demobilisation of resources and transition to recovery operations. Students develop demobilisation plans that preserve accountability and support after-action review.