FIR - Fire Science

Course instructs firefighter and police officer candidates about all aspects of hiring process. Content includes how to locate job opportunities; properly complete job applications; take written physical, psychological, and medical examinations; and prepare for oral interview by Police and Fire Commissioners. Credit cannot be received in both FIR 100 and LAE 100.

Course introduces aspects of fire science. Content includes history of fire protection; fire protection organization; magnitude and causes of fire losses; properties of hostile fires; and principles of fire preventing, detecting, confining and extinguishing fires.

Course instructs students in the theory, basic individual skills, and team skills required for using and operating fire suppression and ancillary equipment and as well as other basic fire knowledge and skills required by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and recommendations by the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1001: Firefighter Professional Qualifications. Content includes: fire organization, fire behavior, safety, self contained breathing apparatus, portable fire extinguishers, ladders, fire hose and appliances, building construction, forcible entry, ventilation, water supply, nozzles and fire streams, rescue, fire control, ropes and knots, loss control, fire detection-alarm & fire suppression systems, fire prevention & public education, protecting evidence for cause and determination, communications, terrorism, and firefighter survival.

Course continues to instruct students in the theory, basic individual skills, and team skills required for using and operating fire suppression and ancillary equipment and as well as other basic fire knowledge and skills required by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and recommendations by the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1001: Firefighter Professional Qualifications. Content includes: fire organization, fire behavior, safety, self contained breathing apparatus, portable fire extinguishers, ladders, fire hose and appliances, building construction, forcible entry, ventilation, water supply, nozzles and fire streams, rescue, fire control, ropes and knots, loss control, fire detection-alarm & fire suppression systems, fire prevention and public education, protecting evidence for cause and determination, communications, terrorism, and firefighter survival.

A course to instruct the Basic Operations Firefighter students in advanced firefighting techniques. The Advanced Technician Firefighter is able to perform firefighting operations without direct supervision. Emphasis will be placed on advanced firefighting suppression operations, individual and team skills as required by the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and recommendations by the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA 1001: Firefighter Professional Qualifications. Successful completion of this course along with passage of the State Written Exam and other required OSFM Certification Courses will lead to OSFM Certification as an Advanced Technician Firefighter.

Course introduces the theories and principles of how and why fires start, the dynamics of fire, how fire spreads, and how fires are properly controlled using various methods of fire extinguishment.

Course examines fire fighting tactics and strategies. Content includes pre-fire activities; fire ground operations, including search and rescue, forcible entry, ventilation, suppression, salvage and overhaul; post-fire activities, and the incident command system.

Course continues FIR 121. Content includes application of principles of fire fighting tactics to specific fire situations; and documentation and evaluation of actual fire incidents.

Course offers a review of elementary chemistry. Content includes properties of flammable liquids and gases, oxidizers, water reactive chemicals, corrosive chemicals, toxic materials and radioactive materials; storage, handling and fire suppression techniques of potentially hazardous materials.

Course offers an operational level and understanding of hazardous materials. Content includes identification and classification of hazardous materials; physical and chemical properties of hazardous materials; planning, response and mitigation of hazardous materials incidents; analysis of case histories and application of learned principles to simulated exercises.

A course for emergency responders using computer-based software. Course introduces emergency response applications with emphasis on emergency pre-planning. It focuses on designing plans for use by emergency responders using Firehouse, AutoCAD, and other applicable software. The computer will be used by students to document information about the condition of assets, including buildings and personnel for transmission to emergency operations managers and personnel who need it for planning response, crisis management, and recovery efforts. Credit cannot be received in both FIR 191 and CAD 191.. Students cannot receive credit for both CAD 191 and FIR 191.

A course in tactical planning for emergency responders using pre-plan scenarios to coordinate tactical operations. Emphasis is on crisis management by fire, police and support personnel in implementing tactical operations for any and all emergencies. Hazards include fire, hostile intruder, severe weather, utility outages, natural disasters, and facility security. Technologies are used in a lab environment to gain information about the condition of personnel and to assess risk. Technologies include surveillance, pre-plans, and converged communications to provide information to emergency operations managers for developing the appropriate tactical response and recovery efforts. Credit cannot be received in both FIR 192 and LAE 192.

Course presents responsibilities, objectives and organization of a fire prevention bureau. Content includes setting up and implementing a systematic inspection program; classification of occupancy by hazard; function of water supplies and automatic sprinkler systems; and other codes related to fire safety and application of codes to fire prevention activities.

Course studies structural and interior construction and building equipment as related to fire safety considerations. Content includes analysis of vertical and horizontal openings and exterior features in communication of fires; effects of fire exposure on structural integrity of buildings.

Course reviews basic mathematics and studies of hydraulic principles and formulas for fluid flow, friction loss and forces. Content includes operation and characteristics of fire pumps, water distribution and supply for fire protection, fluid flow in hoses, nozzle discharge and fire streams, and application of principles to fire department operations.

Course continues FIR 201 Content includes responsibilities and management of fire prevention programs, implementation of public education programs; function of fire alarm and special extinguishing systems; and relationship of building, life safety and codes to fire hazards and causes.

Course offers an analysis of causes of fires and relationship of fire characteristics and traces to se causes. Content includes recognition of equipment failures responsible for fires; incendiary fires; collection, preservation and documentation of evidence substantiating fire causes; interrogation techniques in fire investigations and cooperation of fire investigating agencies.

Course presents types, organizational structure, and activities of fire departments. Content includes recruitment through training; personnel assignments, promotion, working conditions, pay and hours, retirement; fire station facilities, communication centers, training facilities; preparation of specifications, advertising and acceptance of bids for procuring apparatus and equipment; testing and maintenance of apparatus and equipment and types of systems and utilization of available water supply.

Course examines fire department operations. Content includes procedures of municipal fire alarm systems; radio facilities, dispatching to emergency alarms; basic operational procedures for various types of fire and emergency situations; fire loss data, manpower productivity and utilization; grading of fire defenses; community public relations; public education in fire and life safety and organizing for fire prevention inspections, code enforcement and special fire prevention campaigns.

Course studies industrial fire prevention practices. Content includes study of fixed-fire protection systems; employee fire safety education; in-plant inspections; hazard controls, organization of industrial fire brigades, and cooperation with public fire departments.

Course studies duties performed by emergency medical technicians, following the National EMS Education Standards. Contents include CPR, human body anatomy, vital signs, ventilation, cardiac emergencies, resuscitation, automated external defibrillation, pharmacology, bleeding and shock, fractures, injuries, childbirth, lifting and moving of patients, legal and ethical issues. Practical skill performance is heavily emphasized throughout the course. This course is approved by Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and successful completion of course qualifies students to take IDPH’s EMT licensing examination or the National Registry Examination for EMT.

Course is first of four to acquire paramedic skills in advanced emergency medicine. Content includes roles and responsibilities of paramedic, legal and medical considerations, response to major incidents, and stress management. Involves concurrent laboratory and clinical instruction.

Course is second of four, to acquire paramedic skills in advanced emergency medicine. Content includes medical terminology, general patient assessment, initial management, airway and ventilation, pathophysiology of shock, and general pharmacology. Involves concurrent laboratory and clinical experience. Students required to complete state-specified number of hours of Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance ride time.

Course is third of four, to acquire paramedic skills in advanced emergency medicine. Content includes treatments of medical emergencies involving trauma, burns, respiratory system, endocrine and nervous system, abdominal distress, toxicology, alcohol and drug abuse, infectious diseases and environmental injuries. Involves concurrent laboratory and clinical experience. Students required to complete statespecified number of hours of field internship.

Course is four of four to acquire paramedic skills in advanced emergency medicine. Content includes medical, procedural and environmental aspect of emergency medicine. Content includes toxicology, behavioral emergencies, major incident response, triage, hazardous material, street gangs and drugs. Involves concurrent laboratory, clinical and ambulance experience. Students required to complete state-specified number of hours of field internship. Course requires a successful passing score on the state paramedic exam and EMT-P licensure by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Course is first of two management courses required of eligible candidates pursuing Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal certification as Fire Officer II. Content includes management principles and techniques used by mid-level managers and chief officers in fire service; principles of time management, decision-making, motivation and delegation.

Course is second of two management courses required of eligible candidates pursuing Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal certification as Fire Officer II. Content includes management principles and techniques used by mid-level managers and chief officers in fire service. Principles of public relations, labor relations, administrative liability and personnel management are emphasized.

Course examines fire apparatus drivers and operators. Content includes pumps and controls, relay pumping operations, water supplies to elevated streams, standpipe sprinklers and miscellaneous equipment, preventive maintenance, records and reports.

Course examines job of fire service instructor. Content includes basic principles of adult learning, classroom management, steps in teaching, teaching methods, planning instruction, training aids and devices, implementation of training programs, use of records, types of evaluation, preparation of tests, performance testing and practice teaching.

Course continues FIR 235. Content includes more advanced teaching techniques, including illustrative and demonstrative lectures, testing and performance assessment, qualifications and duties of a training officer; defining objectives of training program; planning, acquiring and using training facilities; developing curriculum; administering a training program and planning and conducting conferences.

Course introduces legal aspects of fire science. Contents include study of judicial system; civil and criminal actions; legal status of fire department; jurisdiction and liability of fire prevention bureaus; municipal responsibility to and for fire fighters; authority and liability of fire fighters; law and arson investigation; techniques for testifying in court; and compensation, pension and termination of employment of fire fighters.

Course is designed to equip and then certify the students with the knowledge and skills necessary to serve in the role of Incident Commander or to supervise and manage emergency and hazard zone operations for National Incident Management System Type 4 and Type 5 events. The Blue Card certification is a blended course experience which incorporates 50 hours of online instruction with 24 hours of in-class computer simulation training.

Course covers a variety of different topics during different semesters. Topics will be selected from among current advances in fire science technology. Typical course concentrations might be Fire Officer Training III or Hazardous Materials and Terrorist Incident Response. Check with the instructor and the latest college class listings for details. The course may be repeated twice.