UL Research Institutes updates search and rescue training course
Iain Hoey
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FRSI training course adds new tactical lessons
UL Research Institutes and its Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) have announced a new version of the free online training course Search and Rescue Tactics in Single-Family Single-Story Residential Structures on the Fire Safety Academy.
The updated training course reflects findings from full-scale burn experiments and adds three tactical considerations to the original Search & Rescue course.
One lesson covers simultaneous exterior and interior suppression operations when crews arrive to a fully developed fire with extension to the exterior and sufficient resources are available.
A second lesson covers local ventilation in compartments remote from the fire area, including pre suppression isolation of the compartment before ventilation.
A third lesson covers hydraulic ventilation immediately after suppression to increase the rate at which combustion gases exhaust from the structure.
New materials for officers and instructors
FSRI said the updated course also includes ready-to-use materials for training officers and instructors.
These include five scenario based drill sheets designed to reinforce decision making and coordination across search scenarios and victim removal.
The updated materials also include time-to-task sheets to track how long crews take to complete actions such as forcing entry, a single-room search and drag-and-carry.
Discussion guides have also been added to support post-drill or informal conversation intended to reinforce learning and improve retention.
Meghan Maloney, manager of education and training for the Fire Safety Research Institute, said: “The re-launch of this course builds on years of research and ongoing collaboration with the fire service to meet their training needs.
“On the fireground, every decision and every minute matters, and our free training helps firefighters at all levels be better prepared to make smarter, safer decisions that influence occupant survivability and firefighter safety.”
The course states that firefighters who complete it will learn how isolation and ventilation affect occupant survivability and firefighter safety, how the timing of suppression actions affects search and rescue operations, and how removal tactics and timing may influence survivability.
The Fire Safety Academy also provides free self-paced training on topics including fire dynamics, firefighting tactics, firefighter health, lithium-ion batteries and WUI fires.
The updated course adds new lessons and training materials to the existing search and rescue programme.
