Training

Tipton Volunteer Fire Department 407 Lynn St. Tipton, IA 52772

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Training

Volunteer fire departments rely on individuals to give their free time to help others with no compensation and very little regulations. Recently however, there has been a big push to install certain requirements for those volunteer firefighters who work in hazardous situations on a regular basis. Below are a few things that the Tipton Fire Department is currently doing to ensure our members are performing in a safe manner.

Department Training

The Tipton Fire Department created the position of Training Officer around 5 years ago to handle the growing need for continual and thorough training. Over 100 firefighters are killed each year in the line of duty by multiple causes. Since firefighters are called to all types of emergencies, they must be prepared for many different situations, trained to use a multitude of specialized equipment, and most importantly know how to help others while keeping themselves safe.
Most of the training and technology that goes into the fire service deals with the safety of firefighters and other first responders. While our job is to protect property and save lives, our top priority is to stay safe. We want to save lives but if we perform our jobs in an unsafe manner, instead of one victim needing help there could be two or more.
This is the general basis of fire department training and so it is easy to see why it is such an important part of the fire service. Listed below are the main training priorities for the Tipton Fire Department which includes:
              -Probationary firefighter training
              -Specialized department training
              -Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) training
              -Iowa's new Minimum Training Standard
              -FEMA and DHS's National Incident Management System (NIMS) training

Probationary Firefighters

Most of our new members that join have no firefighting experience. Probationary firefighters are trained in the very basics of the department like how to properly put on the gear and SCBA, what/why/how how the department functions during an emergency, and how to stay safe. Probationary firefighters are usually not the ones that do the dangerous tasks and most of the skills and firefighting tactics are learned over time or at weekend fire schools across the state. In the near future however, most TFD members (experienced and new) will have to meet the requirements of the state's Minimum Training Standard. (see below)

Specialized Firefighter Training

Since firefighters are called to just about every emergency, they must be cross-trained in many different topics. Our training leans to topics that resemble our highest call ratio. In the past half year, we have had such training as:
-Vehicle extrication
-Drafting water out of ponds or rivers with our pumper
-Search and Rescue for victims in limited visibility
-A fire truck driving course held out at the Matthews Memorial Airport

R.I.T. Training

A Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), sometimes refered to as a Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST), is a fairly new concept in the fire service. Basically it refers to particular firefighters who, instead of entering the structure with a hose or climb ladders to rescue people, wait outside with certain equipment in case the firefighters inside become trapped or are in trouble. In the past, when firefighters get in trouble, there is usually chaos and rescuing the firefighters has shown to be extreamly difficult. This new concept puts ready-to-act firefighters outside the structure who are ready to respond at a moments notice that have been trained with special tactics and skills to pull injured firefighters to safety.

All firefighters are trained in RIT tactics so anyone can be assigned to a RIT team. IT basically follows the old standard of "two in, two out" which basically states that if two firefighters enter a structure there should be two other firefighters waiting outside, ready to go. All of Tipton's SCBA packs are equipped with a hose so that if a firefighter runs out of air in a structure, the rescuer can hook up the hose to the injured firefighter's SCBA pack and they both share the rescuers air supply in order to get out.

Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau

Minimum Training Standard

Begining around 2000, the Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau began deliberations regarding a required minimum training standard for volunteer firefighters. Obviously, one of the most common causes for firefighter deaths is working in or around a structure fire or other hazardous situation. Over 100 firefighters die annualy in the line of duty.
The Standard has since passed and been put into action. However, reasonable concerns brought about by volunteer fire chiefs around the state have pushed back the deadline date requiring the selected members* having to reached the said standards.
NOTE: Athough the training is very similar to that required for Iowa Fire Fighter I certification, members are not required to recieve Iowa FF I certification in order to meet the requirements.

- Cost for fire departments to train their personel
The estimated cost for fire departments to put their selected members* through the required training could be as high as $1.44 million state-wide.

The Iowa FSTB will work to help departments apply for grants to help pay for training at the allowable sites** as well as provide any materials needed free of charge for those department training officers who conduct the training in-station.

- Time put in by volunteers to take the required training
The initial time requirement will be 60 hours for each member as well as 24 hours of continuing education annually. Volunteers already give their free time to respond to calls, this additional time commitment will cause a lot of vounteers to either quit or not even join in the first place, causing greater strain on most volunteer departments across the state.

In order to reach the 60 hours of training by the deadline date in 2010, members will only have to put in 15 hours a year. Volunteers should already be participating in some-sort of training each month so the added training should be cause that great of a concern. As for the annual continuing education reguirements, the Iowa FSTB conducts weekend-long Fire Schools across the state annually which should cover most, if not all, of the education requirements.
Tipton members regularly attend schools at Kirkwood in the fall and at ISU in Ames every winter and summer.

* This training is only required for those volunteer members who will be working in a hazardous situation such as a structure fire. Members who will not work in these areas (older members, drivers, pump operators) are not held to this new requirement.

** Training to meet this requirement may be provided by the fire service training bureau, a community college, a regional fire training facility, or a local fire department, or any combination thereof.

Iowa FSTB - 661-251.101(100B) Minimum training standard.

On or after July 1, 2010, any member of a fire department shall have completed the training requirements identified in the job performance requirements for the Fire Fighter I classification in NFPA 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, 2002 edition, chapter 5, prior to engaging in structural fire fighting. Each fire department shall identify its members who are or will be engaged in structural fire fighting and shall ensure that any member engaged in structural fire fighting on or after July 1, 2010 shal have completed the training requirements specified in this rule prior to engaging in structural fire fighting.
NOTE: Fire fighter certification is not required to meet this requirement. Training to meet this requirement may be provided by the fire service training bureau, a community college, a regional fire training facility, or a local fire department, or any combination thereof.

-Personal Protective Equipment and respiratory protection
-Structural firefighting techniques including Standard Operating Policies or Standard Operating Guidelines
-Ground Ladders
-Hose and hose appliances
-Ventilation
-Forcible entry
-Search and rescue techniques
-Firefighter safety
-Incident Management System or Incident Command Systems
-Emergency vehicle driver-operator
-Hazardous materials first responder � operations level
-Emergency Medical Service (EMS) training
-Additional training based on standard operating procedures or standard operating guidelines
-Other OSHA reated training, such as blood borne pathogen protection
-Specialty training such as confined space entry, vehicle extrication, rescue techniques, wildland or agricultural firefighting techniques
-Emergency Response to Terrorism
-Any other training designated to met local training needs

For the full documentation of this requirement, visit the Iowa FSTB website which is linked on our Home page or read the Pdf file here.

FEMA and Homeland Security

National Incident Management System

Since 9-11 and the inception of the Department of Homeland Security, first responders all across the nation have been required to gain certification in the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Those required to take part in the training includes firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement, hospital workers, and public works employees.
NIMS is basically a way to organize the first responders in a chain of command when a multi-agency response is required. This would include disasters, terrorist attacks, weather emergencies, or even large public gatherings.
The required training consists of:

FEMA IS-700: NIMS, An Introduction
ICS-100: Introduction to ICS or equivalent