Courses to improve fire-fighting skills
2006-08-03
IN an effort to reduce the damage caused by unwanted veld and forest fires throughout South Africa, Working on Fire (WoF) and their partner organisations nationally have set up a series of intense firefighting courses aimed at farmers, farm managers and farm workers.
The first basic firefighting courses will be held on September 14 and 15 at the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, before the fire season starts in November.
Three courses are available, the first relating to basic firefighting the second, aimed at crew bosses and the third, named the Incident Commander Type 5, is aimed at farm owners and senior managers.
The basic firefighting course includes modules on fireline safety, understanding fire behaviour, fireline tools and attack methods.
The crew boss course includes many of the basic courses, but adds fireline management, communications and map reading. It is aimed at foremen working with firefighting crews.
The third, and most advanced course, discusses advanced fire behaviour, the 11 stages of fire suppression, fire suppression resources, firefighting strategies and tactics, and operational leadership and other topics.
“Many of our partner organisations have been running courses for some time,” said WOF training manager Fred Favard.
“These courses will allow Working on Fire to share the knowledge and training methods that we have used so successfully with our own firefighters and managers.”
Fees to attend the basic courses are R395 for those who do not belong to a local Fire Protection Association, and R315 for FPA members.
The Crew Boss course costs R1 800 per person per course for non-FPA members and R1500 per person per course for FPA members.
The Incident Commander Type 5 course includes many of the basic courses plus an introduction to the Incident Command System, the management of suppression resources, strategies and tactics, operational leadership and fire simulation exercises.
The IC Type 5 Fireboss Level 1 course will be held from October 2 to October 5 at Newlands Forest Station, Cape Town and the Crewleader course will be held from October 9 to October 13 also at Newlands First Station.
Requests to attend any of the courses to data@wofire.co.za or contact Constance Mashego on (013) 741-7353.
Enquiries about the courses themselves can be made directly to Fred Favard on 082-457-1867.
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