AFC web address:
www.alabamafirecollege.org
Textbook/Other Materials
Required Text:
IFSTA Hazardous
Materials Managing the Incident, current edition.
Available from the
Shelton State Bookstore at 1-800-538-0762
Supplementary
reading:
NFPA 472,
Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents,
2002 edition,
available from NFPA at
www.nfpa.org.
Instructor materials:
Teaching Outline and PowerPoint: Rev. 11/2005
Course
Description/Objectives
Pre-requisites:
Documented proof of Hazardous Materials Awareness & Operational Training.
Description:
This course develops the skills already learned and provides training in the
mitigation of hazardous materials incidents. Through classroom and
practical training the student becomes familiar with: health and safety
issues, incident management, hazard and risk analysis, personal protective
clothing, and decontamination.
Goals:
The
purpose of this course is to specify, in terms of performance objectives,
the minimum requirements for professional service as a responder to
hazardous materials incidents. This course shall cover the requirements for
the Hazardous Materials Technician level of progression.
Objectives:
After completion of the Hazardous Materials Technician course, the candidate
must be able to perform the following job performance requirements:
-
Analyze a hazardous material incident to determine the magnitude of the
problem in terms of outcomes by completing the following tasks:
-
Survey the hazardous
materials incident to identify special containers involved, to identify
or classify unknown materials, and to verify the presence and
concentrations of hazardous materials through the use of monitoring
equipment.
-
Collect and
interpret hazard and response information from printed resources,
technical resources, computer data bases, and monitoring equipment.
-
Determine the extent
of damage to containers
-
Predict the likely
behavior of released materials and their containers when multiple
materials are involved
-
Estimate the size of
an endangered area using computer modeling, monitoring equipment, or
specialist in this field
-
Plan a response within the capabilities of available personnel, personal
protective equipment, and control equipment by completing the following
tasks:
-
Identify the
response objectives for hazardous materials incidents
-
Identify the
potential action options available by response objectives
-
Select the personal
protective equipment required for a given action option
-
Select the
appropriate decontamination procedures
-
Develop a plan of
action, including safety consideration, consistent with the local
emergency response plan and the organization’s standard operation
procedures, and within the capability of the available personnel,
personal protective equipment, and control equipment
-
Implement the planned response to favorably change the outcomes consistent
with the organization’s standard operating procedures and safety
consideration by completing the following tasks:
- Perform the duties
of an assigned hazardous materials branch position within the local
incident management system (IMS)
- Don, work in, and
off appropriate personal protective clothing, including, but not limited
to, both liquid splash and vapor-protective clothing with appropriate
respiratory protection
- Perform the control
functions identified in the plan of action
-
Evaluate the progress of the planned response by evaluating the
effectiveness of the control functions
-
Terminate the incident by completing the following tasks:
- Assist in the
incident debriefing
- Assist in the
incident critique
- Provide reports and
documentation of the incident
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Please note:
Test questions are taken from the instructor's lecture AND the assigned
reading. While some questions from the assigned reading may not be covered
during class due to time constraints, students are responsible for knowing
and understanding ALL information assigned in the syllabus.
Instructional methods:
Classroom Instruction
and Hands-on practical evolutions
Course Schedule
(Tentative, subject to
change depending on the progress of the class)
Day One
Introduction and Overview
Hazardous Materials Management System
Health and Safety
Incident Management System
Day Two
Site Management and Control
Identifying the Problem
Hazard and Risk Evaluation
Day Three
Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment
Practical Evolutions with PPE
Day Four
Information Management
Implementing the Response Objective
Decontamination
Terminating the Incident
Practical Evolutions with Response and Decontamination
Day Five
Practical Evolutions
Summary, Review and Critiques
Certification Exam
Course Policies
Attendance:
Students are expected to attend all classes. Failure to appear in class for
a scheduled activity will be considered an absence, unless prior permission
is received from the instructor. For any absence to be excused, it must be
accompanied by written description of extenuating circumstances. For a
certification course, students must attend all classes to obtain
certification.
Tardiness:
Students must adhere to class schedules. Students are required to be
punctual for all classes and class activities. Classes will begin promptly
at the scheduled time unless specific instructions are given otherwise.
Class participation:
This course will involve discussion, questions and answers on the materials,
and case study. Class participation is expected from all students.
Safety:
Safety of the student is top priority to the Alabama Fire College. Students must adhere to safety regulations while attending a class on or off
the Fire College
campus. At the Fire College campus, safety instructions are posted in every
classroom, as well as escape routes and tornado actions.
Academic misconduct:
Academic misconduct or dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism is not
permitted in class. Suspected cases of academic misconduct will be reported
to the Executive Director. Conduct detrimental to the fire service on or
off campus will not be tolerated. We will investigate any complaints, and
if the complaint is valid the student will be dismissed and his/her agency
will be notified.
Grading:
Letter grades are assigned according to the following system for all
certification courses for which students have registered.
A –
Excellent (90-100)
B –
Good (80-89)
C –
Average (70-79)
Satisfactory grades for certification are A, B, or C. A mark of AU is
assigned for course work performed as an audit.
Certification:
There will be an examination for state certification provided by the Alabama
Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission. An overall score of 70% is
required to the successful completion of this examination. Re-tests may be
taken after 30 days and within 12 months of the date of course completion. The Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission is accredited by
the National Professional Qualifications System (NPQS). The Executive Director has generously decided to fund national registration
and certification for all successful students, so each student will
automatically receive certification from the NPQS upon successful completion
of the course and exam.
Student Feedback
Evaluation form:
An
evaluation form will be provided for each student at the end of the course. Please use this evaluation form as a means of communicating your opinions on
the course, course content, instructor and facilities.
