Working with coordinators of two and four-year academic fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) management degree programs, the U.S. Fire Administration established the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) network of emergency services-related education and training providers; this course is one of six core courses.
This course provides an overview to fire protection and emergency services; career opportunities in fire protection and related fields; culture and history of emergency services; fire loss analysis; organization and function of public and private fire protection services; fire departments as part of local government; laws and regulations affecting the fire service; fire service nomenclature; specific fire protection functions; basic fire chemistry and physics; introduction to fire protection systems; introduction to fire strategy and tactics; and life safety initiatives.
The author has taught this course several times in a face-to-face setting, as well as in a hybrid format. Regardless of the delivery mode, each course is supported by an LMS where most of the coursework takes place. The author did not change much when creating this learning module, it was only adapted from Blackboard to CG Scholar for the purposes of this assignment. In the Wisconsin Technical College System, the student-facing and instructor facing sides are housed in separate systems; the classes are taught in Blackboard (at my college), but the assessment strategies, performance standards, and linked program outcomes are housed in WIDS, Worldwide Instructional Design System software.
This learning module represents the entire eight weeks, two-credit, cohort-based, hybrid format, Associate degree level course.
As a cohort-based course, you will progress through each week as a group and have due dates associated with the required assignments and activities. Each learning plan (a Wisconsin Technical College System term) represents one week of the course, concentrating on a new topic each week, but building upon previous content and learning. The assignments and activities are designed to support student engagement with the course, active learning, critical and creative thinking, and authentic experiences that are applicable to them.
Each week, the content for the learning module is derived from your textbook Klinoff (2016) Introduction to fire protection and emergency services, 5th Ed.; lecture; relevant industry videos; and trade journal articles. You are encouraged to make each learning plan personal by looking at how they or their fire department would operate in a given situation/scenario.
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
This is a required introductory course for students of the Fire Protection Technician degree; a degree designed for entry-level firefighters that have little to no experience in their field and are working towards initial hiring for their chosen career field.
The instructor of the course serves as a facilitator of knowledge and the learning experience, guiding students with timely feedback to ensure that they are on-track and grasping salient points.
The course competencies and learning objectives for this course are:
Overview
Provide the learner with an overview of the course including the course schedule, expectations of the student, and requirements for the course.
Enabling Objective(s)
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Thomas Frank (2014). 5 active reading strategies for textbook assignments. College Info Geek. [Video File]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL0pqJeE4_w
Assignments and Activities
Ice Breaker Discussion
Let’s get to know each other a little better and have a little fun while we are at it.
Instructions:
We are going to use Padlet to create a collaborative story.
Everyone in the class is to agree upon a topic, it can be any topic of your choosing.
Once the topic is chosen, we are going to write our story using only three words at a time, and ending when everyone agrees that the story has come to its natural conclusion. Each person in the class must take a turn contributing three words to the story before you can contribute again.
Refer to the Online Discussion Rubric and Netiquette Guide for additional online writing expectations.
*** This discussion/introduction is like showing up to class on the first day; failure to do so, without prior arrangements made with the course instructor, will result in being dropped from the class per college policy ***
Pre-Course Survey
The purpose of this survey is for me to get to know you a little better. I can use the information to help shape the course and tailor the additional needs of some students to fit each class so that everyone has a successful experience. Additionally, if/when I create groups for assignments, the information shared from this survey will help form those groups.
The survey is voluntary but encouraged.
Click the link to be taken to the survey: Pre-Course Survey
Purpose
Introduce learners to the LMS if they are not familiar with it by having them complete various tasks that they will be expected to use.
The icebreaker discussion is used to share information with you and their classmates that can help break down barriers that are often associated with online learning by making the environment more personal. Students must complete this activity as part of college policy, in essence, it is like showing up to the first day of class. It also emphasizes:
There is also literature and a video on how to effectively read, study, and take notes that can be useful for adult learners who may have been away from the formal classroom for an extended period of time.
Stress that during online discussions, the use of multi-media is encouraged. Students are able to record themselves with video or audio, use videos, pictures, or gifs that help illustrate their points, or simply write their responses - whatever they are most comfortable with and that they can best show their understanding of the material. This is described in the principles of UDL under multiple means of representation.
Additional Resources
Universal Design for Learning: http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.Xe0c2-hKg2xTeaching Purpose
Overview
Learning Plan 1 discusses the value of a complete fire-service education, the different paths to becoming a firefighter, the college and training programs available, the selection process, and the importance of setting goals when pursuing a career in firefighting. We will also discuss the wide variety of firefighting and fire service–related careers available in the modern service, including public fire service careers, civilian positions in the fire service, and fire protection careers in the private sector.
Enabling Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
South Metro Fire Rescue PIO (2020). Firefighter - A Day in the Life [Video File] https://youtu.be/pEIFG7-cmzY
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
After reviewing the readings and resources listed above, complete the following activities for this learning plan:
Fire Department Hiring Process Discussion - What does it take to get hired where you want?
For this discussion, you are to research a fire department that you are interested in working for as a career. This can be anywhere in the state, country, or world since firefighters are a universal need. After conducting your research, summarize:
Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts that go beyond "I agree" or "I disagree" to further the discussion.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Overview
Learning Plan 2 discusses the evolution of fire protection, firefighting equipment, and fire stations; the history of wildland fire in America; how major fire losses have affected the modern fire service; statistics related to the U.S. fire problem; the purpose and scope of fire agencies; and the future of fire protection. We will also introduce you to the conditions required for combustion to occur, the chemistry and physics of fire, the differences between heat and temperature, the methods of heat transfer, the ways in which fire is classified, and the stages of a fire.
Enabling Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
After reviewing the readings and resources listed above, complete the following activities for this learning plan:
Historical View of the Fire Service - Trace the history of one aspect of the fire service that you find interesting or want to know more about
Potential topics include:
After gathering information from available sources, submit your rough draft for peer review. You are welcome to write a paper, create a narrated slideshow, make a video, or record a podcast.
Be sure to cite all sources with a reference page.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Overview
Learning Plan 3 discusses the resources modern fire departments use in firefighting. It presents an overview of common fire apparatus and equipment; fire tools and appliances; heavy equipment that is used in the fire service, particularly for wildland firefighting; personal protective equipment (PPE), including the differences in structural and wildland firefighting clothing, emergency care PPE, and proximity suits; and the types and uses of aircraft in firefighting. Also discussed will be public and private organizations that support or are supported by the fire service at the national, federal, state, and local levels
Enabling Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
After reviewing the readings and resources listed above, complete the following activities for this learning plan:
Department Tour
We will be touring a local career fire department to see how they operate, what equipment they have, and what the life of a firefighter is like. After the tour, you will complete a reflective journal based on your experience. I would suggest that you prepare three to five questions ahead of time that you would like answered.
Reflective Journal
Create a journal entry analyzing and reflecting on our latest fire department field trip.
Feel free to add any additional thoughts or reflections based on what we learned and discovered.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Overview
Learning Plan 4 discusses the six principles of command, the six components of the management cycle, the different types of fire departments, and the four main methods of communication. Also discussed will be the additional roles and responsibilities of various support positions and the facilities that help the fire department function so that field personnel can conduct emergency and non-emergency operations.
Enabling Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
After reviewing the readings and resources listed above, complete the following activities for this learning plan:
Customer Service Discussion
Alan Brunacini continually discussed customer service in his time with Phoenix Fire Department and preached it in the books he wrote and in his conference presentations, generically referring to the customer as Mrs. Smith.
"To be effective, we must continually connect a lot of different organizational pieces into the operation of an integrated system. They include our physical assets (stuff) like facilities, equipment, tools, apparatus, electronics, SOPs, and software. Very little in our business is automated, so virtually all of these pieces require a real live human to make them operate.
Many times we become preoccupied with the mechanical, manipulative, technical, procedural and tactical parts of our operation. While they are critical to our effective operation, they also require human activation.
The point of this brilliant analysis is that while this part of our inventory is essential to deliver service to Mrs. Smith, it cannot by itself connect to her and with her as a customer. While she may admire the red and chrome and gold leaf, and may be impressed by the blinking/flashing light-emitting diodes, when the chips are down and she is in a bind, the hardware and software become transparent to the person in trouble who needs help.
The only part of the system the customer will focus on, really care about or remember very long is the human part of the system who directly delivers service and who touches them as a human in a human and caring way."
Discuss and describe what customer service means to you, and why it is such an important concept in the modern fire service.
Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts that go beyond "I agree" or "I disagree" to further the discussion.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Overview
Learning Plan 5 discusses the different types of training firefighters can expect to receive over the course of their careers. It also discusses the personnel and positions that make up a training bureau, the value and importance of training in the fire service, how adequate training levels and performance standards are determined, and the importance of safety in training.
Enablin Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
South Metro Fire Rescue PIO (2019) Fire academy week 1. [Video File] https://youtu.be/RRohQzPEbAc
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
Department Tour
We will be touring another one of our local career fire department partners. This week we are concentrating on training, and it would be a good opportunity to ask what it is like for the first year of employment as a firefighter, often known as the probationary period.
Training Discussion
The beginning of Chapter 9 in your text describes a Line of Duty Death (LODD) during a training evolution. Read the case study and respond to at least one of the following questions:
Respond to at least two of your classmates' posts that go beyond "I agree" or "I disagree" to further the discussion.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Overview
Learning Plan 6 describes what the fire prevention bureau is and discusses the activities it performs. It also provides an overview of different prevention activities and provides guidance on how to implement them. This chapter also discusses the methods of fire prevention and stresses the importance of fire information reporting as well as federal and state laws in the United States and how these laws influence the development and enforcement of fire-related codes and regulations. Finally, we will explore the various types of fire protection systems and equipment encountered in the fire service, as well as the importance of having a collaborative relationship with public and private water companies and the importance of a water supply system.
Enabling Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
SLC Fire (2019) Introduction to the Salt Lake City fire prevention bureau. [Video File] https://youtu.be/Z3cF8aDKOZA
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
After reviewing the readings and resources listed above, complete the following activities for this learning plan:
Department Tour
This will be our third and final tour from our local career fire department partners. As we are concentrating on fire prevention and suppression systems this week, it will allow us to further explore an often overlooked aspect of your daily activities as a firefighter.
Reflective Journal
Create a journal entry to discuss and reflect on what was learned from the field trip.
Feel free to add any additional thoughts or expand on ideas that are related to this week's topic.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Present and, if it is safe, demonstrate the use of different extinguishing agents to the class as you review each one.
Make sure students understand which extinguishing agents and systems would be suitable for each class of fire.
Overview
Learning Plan 7 discusses the components of emergency incident management, including management responsibility at an emergency incident, incident planning, the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and the structure and features of the Incident Command System (ICS). Finally, we will wrap up with an overview of the considerations firefighters need to make when operating at different types of emergencies. It discusses the implications and relationship between firefighter safety and decision making at the incident scene.
Enabling Objective(s)
After successfully completing this learning plan, you will be able to:
LA County Fire Training (2018). The Department at Work [Video File] https://vimeo.com/271775881
Readings and Resources
Review the following readings and resources prior to participating in the specified assignments and discussions for this learning plan:
Assignments and Activities
Final Reflection & Course Synthesis Journal
This final reflection is in place of a final exam for the course. As such it should be a measure and evidence of what you learned as a result of the course. Keep this in mind as you respond to the guidelines below so that your final product is a true reflection of your learning.
We have covered a lot of material throughout this class while exploring the principles of fire protection and emergency services. Our course competencies were as follows:
Write about what you learned, in particular, connecting your analysis of your learning to these objectives. I want to read not merely a factual synthesis and description, but more importantly about your opinions, and how they evolved through the course (either changing or becoming stronger). When/if what we talked about and what you were assigned wasn't new to you, then write to me about how you made good use of your time in this class, how you pushed yourself to go beyond the requirements. Talk too about how you took responsibility for learning and for challenging yourself throughout this course.
Your grade will reflect how well you have synthesized the different aspects of the course (class activities, assigned readings, readings beyond what was assigned, and anything else that has helped you understand what you are learning in this class) with your understanding of the principles of fire protection and emergency services and how you have connected these to the course competencies.
Your analysis may take the form of a written paper (minimum of 3, double-spaced, Times New Roman font pages), an audio/video recording, or a narrated presentation of photographs, illustrations, and/or other graphics to depict your learning.
Support Materials
Teaching Tips
Klinoff, R. (2015). Introduction to fire protection and emergency services. 5th Edition. Jones and Bartlett Learning.
LA County Fire Training (2018). The Department at Work [Video File] https://vimeo.com/271775881
SLC Fire (2019) Introduction to the Salt Lake City fire prevention bureau. [Video File] https://youtu.be/Z3cF8aDKOZA
South Metro Fire Rescue PIO (2019) Fire academy week 1. [Video File] https://youtu.be/RRohQzPEbAc
South Metro Fire Rescue PIO (2020). Firefighter - A Day in the Life [Video File] https://youtu.be/pEIFG7-cmzY
Thomas Frank (2014). 5 active reading strategies for textbook assignments. College Info Geek. [Video File]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL0pqJeE4_w
