The Fire Service and its Understanding of Fire Dynamics. What We Don’t Know is Killing Us! Unit 9 Seminar

Objectives Setting the Bar: Role of National standard making bodies in developing training competencies. Role of State training in developing training competencies. Role of local departments in training competencies.

Standard making bodies? What is the major standard making body in the fire service?

Standard making bodies? National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) www.nfpa.org

Standard making bodies? NFPA develops, publishes, and disseminates more than 300 consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks. Virtually every building, process, service, design, and installation in society today is affected by NFPA documents.

Standard making bodies? NFPA - codes and standards are widely adopted because they are developed using an open, consensus-based process. All NFPA codes and standards are developed and periodically reviewed by approximately 7,000 volunteer committee members with a wide range of professional expertise.

Standard making bodies? What two standards directly impact competencies as it relates to training fire service personnel in fire dynamics? Are the standards enough? Why or why not?

Standard making bodies? NFPA 1001 - Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications Requisite Knowledge. The principles, advantages, limitations, and effects of horizontal, mechanical, and hydraulic ventilation; safety considerations when venting a structure; fire behavior in a structure; the products of combustion found in a structure fire; the signs, causes, effects, and prevention of backdrafts; and the relationship of oxygen concentration to life safety and fire growth.

Standard making bodies? NFPA 1021 - Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications 4.5 Inspection and Investigation Requisite Knowledge.  Fire behavior; building construction; inspection and incident reports; detection, alarm, and suppression systems; and applicable codes, ordinances, and standards.

Standard making bodies? NFPA 921 - Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations Chapter 5 Basic Fire Science

Roles of state training in developing competencies Dependant on the state and how the training system is constructed. Is the state program accredited and by who? Is there a minimum state certification level and what standard if any is referenced?

Role of local departments What is required by the local department as far as basic training and then advanced training? Is the local department totally reliant on the state training system? Has the department seen a deficiency in certain areas of the basic and advanced training?

Contra Costa, CA LODD July 21, 2007 NIOSH Report CCCFPD Investigation Report Video Links

FIRE GAS IGNITION The term “Fire Gas Ignition” covers a wide range of rapid fire phenomena where accumulations of gases and smoke ignite. There is a wide range of events that can be conveniently grouped under the heading Fire Gas Ignitions (FGIs) and such phenomena can generally be defined as: “An ignition of accumulated fire gases and combustion products, existing in, or transported into, a flammable state.” (Grimwood, Paul. 3D Fire Fighting Training, Techniques, and Tactics)

Therefore, the NFPA reporting system has established the term “Rapid Fire Progress” to cover all situations where some form of fire phenomena led to an extreme event of combustion causing sudden transition from a small fire to a large fire, even where flaming is not sustained. NFPA refers to various sudden or extreme fire phenomena as falling into one of three categories. Flashover Backdraft Fire gas ignitions

What did NIOSH say? In the report you read what did NIOSH say about the NFPA standards 1001 and 1021? Do you think this is important? What impact do you think this will have on these two professional qualification standards?

What did NIOSH say? In the report you read what did NIOSH say about the role of state training systems? Do you think this is important to the states and how they train firefighters? Do you think this important to state training systems to recognize and fix the deficiency?

What did NIOSH say? In the report you read what did NIOSH say about local departments responsibility in fire dynamics training? Do you think local departments taking the initiative to train their people if the state and NFPA are not?

What you do if? The NFPA did not change 1001 and 1021? The state training system in your area did not do anything?

Why should we wait and be complacent? If the NFPA and state training systems do not do anything to increase competency of fire service professional then it is a local and personal responsibility to do it!

To Do… Review Key Terms Read the NIOSH Report-California Attend weekly Seminar Respond to the Discussion Board Complete and submit the Unit 9 Project Check out Extra! Extra!  

Links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCLqybjExOY&feature=related

Links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmUSxIx21pE