Fire Service Operations Course

Lesson 1 • Fire Department Organisation and Rank

Explains rank structure, chain of command, and unit divisions. Enables recruits to operate within proper authority relationships from day one.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory Framework and Compliance

Introduces occupational safety regulations, national consensus standards, and inspection requirements. Ensures recruits understand the legal and standards-based context of their duties.

Lesson 3 • History and Evolution of Firefighting

Traces firefighting from bucket brigades to modern suppression systems. Provides context for current practices and motivates professional identity.

Lesson 1 • Heat Transfer Mechanisms

Covers conduction, convection, and radiation as pathways of fire spread. Directly informs decisions about exposure protection and suppression angles.

Lesson 2 • Stages of Fire Development

Describes ignition, growth, flashover, fully developed, and decay phases. Enables firefighters to read fire conditions and anticipate dangerous transitions.

Lesson 3 • Special Fire Behaviours

Examines backdraft, smoke explosion, and rapid fire progression events. Prepares firefighters to recognise warning signs and avoid life-threatening conditions.

Lesson 4 • Building Materials and Fire Spread

Analyses how construction materials and building design influence fire travel. Connects combustion science to structural firefighting tactics.

Lesson 1 • Structural Firefighting PPE Components

Identifies each PPE component, its protective function, and care requirements. Establishes the baseline for all subsequent hands-on training in protective gear.

Lesson 2 • PPE and SCBA Maintenance

Details inspection schedules, cleaning protocols, and retirement criteria for PPE and SCBA. Ensures equipment reliability and regulatory compliance throughout service life.

Lesson 3 • Donning and Doffing Procedures

Teaches timed donning sequences and safe doffing to prevent contamination. Builds muscle memory critical for emergency deployment.

Lesson 4 • SCBA Donning and Air Management

Practices rapid SCBA donning methods and air consumption calculation. Develops the discipline to manage air supply and exit safely before depletion.

Lesson 1 • Hose Loads and Deployment Methods

Teaches flat, horseshoe, and minuteman loads and their deployment advantages. Enables rapid, tangle-free hose advancement in varied structural layouts.

Lesson 2 • Nozzle Types and Flow Rates

Compares smooth bore, combination, and automatic nozzles by flow, reach, and pattern. Connects nozzle selection to fire conditions and suppression effectiveness.

Lesson 3 • Water Supply and Hydrant Operations

Covers hydrant types, connection procedures, and relay pumping for extended supply. Ensures uninterrupted water delivery to attack crews.

Lesson 4 • Hydraulics Fundamentals for Firefighters

Introduces pressure, flow, friction loss, and engine pressure calculations. Equips firefighters to communicate water supply needs and verify adequate flow.

Lesson 1 • Primary and Secondary Search

Trains systematic search patterns, victim packaging, and crew accountability during search. Maximises victim survivability while protecting firefighter safety.

Lesson 2 • Interior Attack Line Advancement

Covers door entry procedures, hallway advancement, and room entry techniques. Builds the muscle memory for safe, effective fire attack under zero-visibility conditions.

Lesson 3 • Ventilation Coordination

Explains positive-pressure, negative-pressure, and hydraulic ventilation and their timing. Ensures ventilation supports attack rather than accelerating fire spread.

Lesson 4 • Firefighter Survival and Mayday

Teaches LUNAR reporting, self-rescue techniques, and PASS device activation. Prepares firefighters to survive entrapment and guide rescue teams to their location.

Lesson 1 • Incident Command System Fundamentals

Reviews ICS principles, span of control, and modular expansion. Ensures all personnel understand their role within a standardised command structure.

Lesson 2 • Safety Officer Functions

Defines the safety officer's authority, risk assessment role, and intervention powers. Integrates safety management into command operations at every incident.

Lesson 3 • Multi-Agency Coordination

Addresses unified command, mutual aid activation, and interoperability at large incidents. Prepares company officers to operate within complex, multi-jurisdictional responses.

Lesson 4 • Establishing and Transferring Command

Teaches face-to-face command transfer, incident briefing, and command post setup. Ensures seamless leadership transitions as incidents escalate.

Lesson 5 • Resource Management and Assignments

Covers resource typing, staging, and assignment tracking using accountability systems. Maintains situational awareness of all personnel and equipment on scene.

Lesson 1 • Emergency Carries and Drags

Teaches firefighter drag, cradle carry, and two-person carries for rapid victim removal. Ensures rescuers can move victims safely without additional injury.

Lesson 2 • Confined Space Rescue Awareness

Identifies permit-required confined spaces, atmospheric hazards, and non-entry rescue options. Establishes safe boundaries for operations-level responders.

Lesson 3 • Rope Rescue Basics

Introduces life-safety knots, anchor systems, and lowering operations for above-grade rescue. Provides the foundational rope skills required before technical rescue training.

Lesson 4 • Victim Assessment in Fire Environments

Applies rapid triage principles to prioritise rescue in multi-victim scenarios. Bridges fire suppression skills with emergency medical assessment fundamentals.

Lesson 1 • Hazmat Incident Command Integration

Explains the hazmat branch within the incident command system and resource requests. Prepares firefighters to function within a unified command at complex hazmat events.

Lesson 2 • Hazard Classes and Properties

Describes flammable, corrosive, toxic, radioactive, and reactive material classes. Connects chemical properties to appropriate protective actions and PPE selection.

Lesson 3 • Decontamination Procedures

Teaches emergency and technical decontamination methods for victims and responders. Prevents secondary contamination and protects hospital and community resources.

Lesson 4 • Protective Actions and Isolation

Covers evacuation, shelter-in-place, and isolation zone establishment at hazmat scenes. Ensures firefighters protect the public and themselves before specialised teams arrive.