AFC October 2023 Newsletter

OCTOBER 2023 Alabama Fire College

L-R: Gracie Barber, Luke Rhinehart, Police Chief Nathan Johnson, Sam Tolbert, Tanner Curvin.

PIEDMONT FIRE ACADEMY STUDENTS COMMENDED FOR LIFE-SAVING ACTION Three Piedmont Fire Academy students and a recent Piedmont High School graduate were recognized on September 4th by the Piedmont Fire Department, Piedmont Police Department, and the Piedmont City Council for their quick action in saving a ten-year-old female after a drowning incident at the Piedmont Aquatic Center. The four were working as life guards and at the aquatic center. Assistant Chief Butch Tolbert relayed how proud he is to have had them in the Fire Academy class this year, and stated that graduate Gracie Barber and seniors Luke Rhinehart, Sam Tolbert, and Tanner Curvin are great examples of the students at Piedmont High School.

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK OCTOBER 8-14, 2023

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is: “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”

Its aim is to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe when cooking.

Find free resources to share with your community at: www.fpw.org

UA TACTICAL PERFORMANCE LABORATORY MAKES HOME IN NEW AFC PROP BUILDING The University of Alabama Kinesiology Department has installed numerous pieces of diagnostic equipment in their Tactical Performance Laboratory on the Alabama Fire College campus in the new prop building. This partnership allows them to perform many pieces of a 1582 physical on-site, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, Dr. Lee Winchester. The recruits in Class 23-02 will be some of their subjects. The laboratory has the capacity for conducting the fitness testing, cardiac ECG, pulmonary function testing, CBC panel, and the majority of the blood markers needed for this research. Though more indepth analysis will be performed over the course of time, the initial recommended testing serves as a first step to determine the sequencing and flow of testing with the new lab. Initial tests include: Body Composition Analysis, Wingate Anaerobic Test, VO2 max and ECG Stress Test, Mid-thigh pull, and a Pulse Wave Velocity analysis.

L-R: Dr. Lee Winchester, Recruit Sullivan, Recruit Mendoza, and UA Master’s program student Tiffany Adams

Recruit Ellis; UA Ph. D. student Andrew LeMense

The research team has three primary objectives.

First, to assess health and fitness of firefighter recruits and incumbents, and to determine how these measures correlate with performance during recruit training or while in the field.

Second, to assess cardiovascular health and other health risks of firefighters to reduce risk of injury or death in the line of duty. Third, to compile strategies and programs to pursue increasing diversity in career firefighting within the state of Alabama, particularly through increasing the number of women in the field.

We are excited about this partnership with The University of Alabama and the positive impact it will have on Alabama’s fire service.

Dr. Hayley MacDonald; Recruit Brock

INSTATE VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY SERVICES TRAINING The InVEST program was developed for the volunteer fire service to recognize training and education. As of September 2023: 1,506 Basic, 151 Intermediate, 111 Advanced, and 89 Master level coins have been issued! Learn more about the InState Volunteer Emergency Services Training recognition program at: www.alabamafirecollege.org/invest.

Corey McCain, Daniel Little, & Jimmie Coker of Belforest Fire & Rescue received their Basic coins.

Regional Coordinator Mike Hill presented New Market Volunteer Fire Department member Rebecca Putman with her Basic and Intermediate coins, and presented Andrew Putman with his Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced coins.

Regional Coordinator Rudy Rooks presented coins to two Hokes Bluff VFD members on September 19. Left: Taylor Clough earned the Advanced and Master level coins. Right: Richard Garmon earned his Basic level coin.

Danny Southard presented Keith Reaves (Spring Valley VFD) with his Basic level coin, and Michael Clemmons (Nitrate City VFD) and Felton Filyaw (Chalybeate VFD) with Intermediate and Advanced coins.

Englewood Hulls Fire Chief Scott Blake presented Basic level coins to Matthew Fogarty, Sam Sompayrac, and Eric McDanal.

CERTIFICATION & CURRICULUM UPDATES The NFPA Standards Committees update standards typically every five years to ensure that the most up-to-date information, technology, and industry standards are included in the curriculum that is produced and used in classroom delivery. To maintain accreditation with Pro Board and IFSAC, the AFC has a two-year deadline to update to these new editions.

CHANGES TO ROPE RESCUE COURSES: Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Rope Rescue Awareness & Operations, currently “RT: Rope I,” will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the Awareness and Operations levels. This course will remain 40 hours after the update. The new textbook will be Jones & Bartlett’s Rope Rescue, 5th edition.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Rope Rescue Technician, currently “RT: Rope II,” will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the Technician level. This course will increase from 24 hours to 40 hours after the update. The new textbook will be Jones & Bartlett’s Rope Rescue, 5th edition.

Roll out for these new courses is January 1, 2024 CHANGES TO EXTRICATION COURSES: Currently, we offer RT: Vehicle & Machinery Extrication I in one 40-hour course. NFPA has added a Heavy Vehicle chapter. Due to this addition, we will now offer the following separate 40-hour courses after the update.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Common Passenger Vehicle Rescue, currently “RT: Vehicle Extrication I,” will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Awareness, Operations, & Technician certifications), Jones & Bartlett’s Vehicle Rescue and Extrication, Revised 2nd Edition.

Roll out for these new courses is January 1, 2024 Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Heavy Vehicle & Machinery Rescue will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Heavy Vehicle Awareness, Operations, & Technician as well as ProBoard and IFSAC certifications in Machinery Awareness, Operations, and Technician. The new textbook will be Jones & Bartlett’s Vehicle Rescue and Extrication, Revised 2nd Edition. The Machinery courses are still in development, possible roll out Summer, 2024 CHANGES TO WATER RESCUE COURSES: Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Surface Water Rescue, currently “RT: Surface Water I/II,” will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Surface Water Awareness, Operations, & Technician and will remain a 24-hour course. The new text will be Jones & Bartlett’s Water Rescue, 3rd Edition.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Swiftwater Rescue, currently “RT: Swiftwater I/II,” will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Swiftwater Awareness, Operations, & Technician and will remain a 20-hour course. The new textbook will be Jones & Bartlett’s Water Rescue, 3rd Edition.

Roll out for these new courses is January 1, 2024 Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Watercraft Rescue will be a new 40-hour course resulting in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Watercraft Awareness, Operations, and Technician. The textbook will be Jones & Bartlett’s Water Rescue, 3rd Edition.

This course is now available!

CONTINUED

CHANGES TO OTHER RESCUE TECHNICIAN COURSES: Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Cave Rescue, currently RT: Cave I/II, will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Awareness, Operations, and Technician. There is no textbook required for this course. This will remain a 40-hour course.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Confined Space Rescue, currently RT: Confined Space I/II, will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Awareness, Operations, & Technician. The new textbook will be CMC’s Confined Space Rescue Technician Manual, Revised 2nd Edition. This will remain a 40-hour course.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Structural Collapse Rescue, currently RT: Structural Collapse I/II, will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Awareness, Operations, and Technician. This will remain an 80-hour course.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Trench Rescue, currently RT: Trench I/II, will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Awareness, Operations, & Technician. The new textbook will be Jones & Bartlett’s Trench Rescue, 4th Edition. This will remain a 40-hour course.

Technical Rescue Personnel (TRP): Wilderness Rescue, currently RT: Wilderness I/II, will result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications for Awareness, Operations, and Technician. There will be no textbook change for this course. This will remain a 40-hour course.

Roll out for these new courses is January 1, 2024 CHANGES TO INVESTIGATOR COURSES: Fire Investigator, currently Fire Investigator I, will remain a 40-hour course and result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the Fire Investigator level. The new textbook is IFSTA’s Fire Investigator, 3rd edition. New Course released July 1, 2023 Advanced Fire Investigator, currently Fire Investigator II, will result in a certification issued by the State of Alabama. The new textbook will be IFSTA’s Fire Investigator, 3rd edition.

Roll out date for Advanced Fire Investigator is Spring, 2024 CHANGES TO HAZ MAT COURSES: HM/WMD Awareness and Operations, will remain a 40-hour course and result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the HM/WMD Awareness, Operations, Mission Specific Levels: PPE, Product Control, Mass Decon and Technical Decon. The new textbook will be the AFC’s HM/WMD Awareness & Operations Student Manual.

This new program will also contain an APERI course option HM/WMD Technician, will remain a 50-hour course and result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the HM/WMD Technician Level. The new textbook will be IFSTA’s Managing the Incident, 5th edition.

HM/WMD Incident Commander, will remain a 40-hour course and result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the HM/WMD Technician Level. The new textbook will be IFSTA’s Managing the Incident, 5th edition.

Roll out date for these new courses is January 1, 2024 CHANGES TO PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR COURSES: Public Safety Telecommunicator I and II, will remain a 32-hour course and result in ProBoard and IFSAC certifications to the Public Safety Telecommunicator I and II levels.

Roll out date for new course is January 1, 2024