This course sets the stage for the following sections on rescue operations. There is potential in any fire ground/rescue operation for environmental damage and an overall negative impact on the community and to the health and safety of firefighters and rescue teams.
Content will focus on the role, responsibilities and actions taken by firefighters as firefighter emergency responder at an awareness level during a hazardous materials incident. There will be a focus on recognition, firefighter protection, interagency coordination, securing the area and accessing of information from additional resources.
Please Note:
This section meets NFPA 472 Standard for Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents, 2002 edition. This meets and exceeds the Awareness Level of NFPA 472, 2008 edition, Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents and is in keeping with the Provincial Response strategy for requirements of Level One Teams in Ontario.
Additional Compulsory Content available on-line: the Office of the Fire Marshal, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, has prepared a short self-study course entitled Terrorism Awareness for First Responders in Ontario: Self-Study. This course is now available on the OFM website (http://www.ofm.gov.on.ca) and has also been distributed to all Fire Departments in Ontario. Students are expected to complete this self-study package as part of the requirement for this module.
Content will focus on the role, responsibilities and actions taken by firefighters as firefighter emergency responder at an operations level during a hazardous materials incident. It will include knowledge on analyzing the incident, planning the response, implementing the planned response and evaluating progress. Additionally, emergency decontamination will be demonstrated.
It includes an overview of electrical hazards firefighters encounter when responding to electrical emergencies occurring during fire suppression and rescue operations. Included in this will be safety precautions and actions a firefighter should take when dealing with possibly charged electrical equipment.
It also assists firefighters in analyzing, planning and strategizing for effective responses to emergency incidents. It also provides the firefighter with the knowledge to identify safety concerns that affect emergency responder safety at emergency situations, and a general understanding of building construction types and how each performs under exposure to fire.
Another essential element to building construction is how buildings and structures react under stress conditions that may result in structural collapse. Having a better understanding of building construction will assist firefighters in size up and scene stabilization for all types of incidents involving a collapse.
