ICFR Annual Wildland Fire Safety Refresher Training

All Inter-Canyon wildland firefighters are required to complete annual Fireline Safety Refresher training.  This 8-hour safety training is in addition to any National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) courses the firefighters attend in preparation for the fire season.  Fireline Safety Refresher training is provided in order to recognize hazards; mitigate risk; maintain safe practices; and to reduce accidents and near misses.  The intent of Fireline Safety Refresher training is to focus suppression and prescribed fire personnel on operations and decision making issues related to incident safety.  ICFR encourages all firefighters to attend. Information is discussed during these refreshers that are valuable to all personnel.  All ICFR wildland firefighters must be prepared to function safely and effectively in the wildland fire environment. 

ICFR follows the national training requirements for wildland refresher training.

 

Annual Fireline Safety Refresher training must include the following core topics:

 

1.      Avoiding Entrapments - Use training and reference materials to study the risk management process as identified in the Incident Response Pocket Guide as appropriate to the participants, e.g., LCES, Standard Firefighting Orders, Eighteen Watch Out Situations, Wildfire Decision Support System (WFDSS) direction, and Fire Management Plan priorities.

 

2.      Current Issues - Review and discuss identified “hot topics”.  Review forecasts and assessments for the upcoming fire season and discuss implications for firefighter safety.

 

3.      Fire Shelter - Review and discuss last resort survival including escape and shelter deployment site selection. Conduct “hands-on” fire shelter inspections.  Practice shelter deployments in windy and challenging conditions.

 

4.      Other Hazards and Safety Issues - Choose additional hazard and safety subjects, which may include SAFENET, current safety alerts, site/unit specific safety issues and hazards.  A listing of specific safety issues and topics associated with trends in the Rocky Mountain region are reviewed.