Fire Science

This course provides students with basic information on the organization and function of paid and volunteer fire services, the role of the firefighter in the department, firefighter safety, the science of fire, and fire behavior. Specific course topics surveyed include orientation and safety, apparatus familiarization, fire behavior, personal protective equipment, rescue, and forcible entry.

This course teaches the many functions of the fire service, its importance, and its origins. It is designed to acquaint students with the philosophy and history of the fire service and fire protection, including the tragic loss of life and property, as well as the organization and function of public and private fire protection agencies. Emphasis is placed on federal, state, county, city, and private fire protection organizations and functions.

This course offers a comprehensive overview of the various components of occupational safety and health in emergency services. It also provides a historical perspective on industrial safety and health, examining how past events have influenced emergency services by creating a safer work environment that reduces first responder deaths and injuries.

This course highlights and assesses the problems and hazards faced by fire personnel when a building is attacked by fire or is under stress from other factors, such as structural collapse. Emphasis is placed on construction principles: wood, ordinary, steel, concrete, and truss construction.

This course introduces students to the Incident Command System, its organizational structure, history, principles, and features, as well as the National Incident Management System, which serves as a template for integrating public and private entities in response to emergency incidents. Tabletop exercises and scenarios will enable students to apply the practical aspects of the Incident Command System and demonstrate its relationship to the National Incident Management System. The course will also introduce students to the concepts and principles of the National Response Framework and the National Response Plan. Students will have the opportunity to take online certification exams for FEMA's IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, and IS-800 courses. This course will meet the NIMS baseline training requirements for the courses mentioned above.

This course examines the organizational structure, fire suppression equipment, fire characteristics and behavior, and fire hazard properties of common materials. Emphasis is placed on the most common structural, vehicle, and urban interface fires.

This is a study of water supplies and services, fire extinguishing chemicals, and the selection and use of extinguishing agents. Emphasis is placed on dry chemicals, dry powder, foam, and halogenated agents.

This course provides an introduction to the history and philosophy of fire prevention, as well as the importance of fire prevention education. It includes fire prevention functions, the development and enforcement of fire prevention codes and regulations, the design and implementation of age-appropriate education materials, and the benefits of community relations, support, and programs.

This course provides a basic understanding of the characteristics and behavior of solids, liquids, and gases in fire-related situations. Emphasis is placed on the characteristics, storage, and handling of various materials.

Alabama Fire College ProBoard Certification Course. This course is designed for emergency response personnel who may be the first on the scene of a hazardous materials incident. First responders at the awareness level are expected to recognize the presence of hazardous materials, protect themselves, secure the area, and call for trained personnel. At the operational level, the first responder utilizes the knowledge gained from the awareness level to take a defensive posture, protecting people, the environment, or property from the effects of an unplanned hazardous materials release. This course meets the requirements of the mandatory Awareness/Operational training in hazardous materials required by Title III - Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 and NFPA 472, Standard on Professional Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials Incidents, current edition.

This course provides a foundation in theoretical knowledge to understand the principles of water and fire protection, as well as to apply hydraulic principles in analyzing and resolving water supply problems.

A course that trains participants to teach a class from a prepared lesson plan. This course introduces students to the concept of utilizing training aids to enhance their presentations, how to properly select these aids, and how to effectively use the selected aids. Subject areas for this course include Communication, Concepts of Learning, Methods of Teaching, Organizing the Class, Performance Evaluations, Testing and Evaluations, The Lesson Plan, Teaching Techniques, and the Use of Instructional Materials. The student will give several presentations during the week, all culminating in a fifteen-minute, graded presentation on the final day of class.

This course provides the Fire Instructor I with the next level of understanding for the training of personnel. This course trains participants to perform job and task analysis, develop goals and objectives, create lesson plans, and coordinate training aids, student tests, and evaluations. During the course, students are divided into groups, each of which is responsible for developing a lesson plan to be presented to the class on the final day.

This course provides advanced firefighters and beginning fire officers with the necessary information and related techniques to ensure effective fire scene operations. Study topics include Pre-fire Planning, Tactical Operations, and Scene Management Techniques. Students are encouraged to participate in group activities, discussions, and practical exercises to further enhance their learning experience and reinforce the methodology discussed.

This course provides the in-depth information needed to be a successful company officer, battalion commander, deputy chief, or chief executive officer. This course will help you understand your style and tendencies, enabling you to develop your leadership abilities and capacity, and prepare you for future success. This course focuses on leadership ethics, team building, analytical approaches to fire and emergency services, continuous quality improvement, community risk reduction, planning, management of physical and financial resources, personnel management, employee relations, and training. It examines future trends that will impact the profession.

This course targets fire investigators, police officers, and company-level officers who desire to learn more about determining the origin and cause of fires. Students attending this course should be prepared for an intense week of training and applying practical skills. Topics covered include Determining the Point of Origin, Burn Patterns, Evidence Collection and Analysis, Interviewing Techniques, and Court Procedure and Testifying.

Alabama Fire College Pro-Board Certification Course. A beginning-level course for firefighters and other interested parties wishing to become more involved in fire prevention and inspections. This course is primarily designed for individuals entering the fire service inspections field and would be extremely useful to city inspectors and company-level officers. These topics covered in this course include building construction, decorative materials and furnishings, fire drills, inspection procedures, code enforcement, and fire alarms and communications.

This course delves deeper into the interpretation of applicable codes and standards, covers the procedure involved in various types of inspections, and prepares the inspector for the plans review process. It is an advanced-level course that covers a wide range of topics, including Inspection Procedure, Building Construction, Occupancy Classification and Means of Egress, Fire Protection and Water Supply Systems, Plans Review, and the Storage of Hazardous Materials.

This course is a study of insurance theory and practice, including the economics of the ISO grading system, as well as a city’s fire defense and insurance rates. It includes a detailed analysis of a city’s water supply, fire department, fire alarm, fire prevention, and other grading methods of fire defense.

With the leading cause of death among children being unintentional injuries, the need for fire and life safety education has become evident in today’s society. This course will train the student to coordinate and deliver existing comprehensive community fire and injury prevention programs designed to eliminate or mitigate situations that endanger lives, health, property, and the environment.

This course is designed for students already certified in hazardous materials awareness and operational level. It develops the skills they have already learned and provides in-depth training in mitigating hazardous materials incidents. The student becomes familiar with health and safety issues, incident management, hazard and risk analysis, personal protective clothing, and decontamination through classroom and practical training.

This course will teach students the design and operation of fire protection systems for commercial, residential, and special-hazard environments. Students will understand the general principles of automatic sprinkler systems, heat and smoke control systems, standpipe systems, fire detection and alarm systems, and portable extinguishing systems.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the basics of modern fire apparatus and related equipment. It will include an examination of pumpers, ladders, quints, hazardous materials vehicles, and other emergency response vehicles. Students will understand the basic operation and purpose of each vehicle and identify the purpose and use of equipment routinely carried by each vehicle.

The Fire Officer I curriculum identifies the requirements necessary to perform the duties of a first-line supervisor. This course introduces students to the basic concepts of management and supervision by focusing on topics such as Organizational Structure, Communication Skills, Human Resource Management, Public Relations, Planning, Emergency Service Delivery, and Safety.

This course is structured for the fire officer who is ready to assume a leadership role by moving into the middle management level of their department. This course provides the officer with a deeper understanding of management and supervision, enabling them to make informed evaluations of employee relations and assume a proactive role within the department. This course builds upon the knowledge base acquired in Fire Officer I by revisiting some of the same subjects and incorporating additional material. Some new subject areas include information management, government structure, and department budget planning and management.

This course is specialized for the chief officer who is ready to advance to the upper management level within their department. This course comprises subjects designed to equip the officer with a deeper understanding of management and administration, enabling them to make informed evaluations of employee relations and take a more proactive role within their department. This is a project-based class.

This course meets executive management-level needs and is designed to meet the elements of NFPA 1021, Chapter 7. The Fire Officer IV will emphasize the management of fire protection services, including human resource management, multi-agency emergency service delivery with horizontal and vertical communication requirements, and risk management. Group interactive exercises will reinforce class lectures.

The purpose of this course is to provide training for fire officers and firefighters on the role and responsibilities of the Incident Safety Officer and to allow participants to practice some of the key skills needed for competency as an Incident Safety Officer. This training program is designed for Fire Officers who may be asked to assume the duties of the Incident Safety Officer, either as a staff assignment or an on-scene appointment. The program is also suitable for firefighters who will be working on-site with the Incident Safety Officer and must understand and appreciate the scope and responsibilities of the job.

This course offers a structured reading and discussion of selected topics related to fire service operations. Emphasis is placed on student needs. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate the skills they have developed to meet specific needs.

This course introduces students to the legal obligations and responsibilities within the fire service, as well as the limitations and restrictions placed on emergency responders. Students will discuss and apply federal and state laws, codes, regulations, and standards relevant to the fire service. Both civil and criminal law will be addressed.