Structure firefighter minimum training standards

The Playbook, last revised in 2015, was created in recognition that many fire departments were providing a level of service to their communities that does not require the complete NFPA 1001 firefighter training obligations.

The broad scope and application of the previous minimum training standards set by Ministerial Order in 2003 left many communities in a position of not being able to achieve these training standards requirements.

The Playbook was developed as a direct response to the recommendations of the Fire Services Liaison Group (FSLG) Transforming the Fire Rescue Service report. The Playbook was revised primarily due to updates in the NFPA standards and in 2022 was re-written and renamed as the British Columbia Structure Firefighter Minimum Training Standards (the Training Standards).

Consultation and engagement were undertaken with a variety of stakeholders, including current and retired fire department chief officers, and some of the original authors of the 2014 Playbook. Stakeholders were:

• WorkSafeBC (WSBC)
• Local Government Management Association (LGMA)
• Fire Chiefs' Association of BC (FCABC)
• BC Fire Training Officers Association (BCFTOA)
• BC Professional Fire Fighters Association (BCPFFA)
• Volunteer Firefighters Association of BC (VFFA)
• Fire Protection Officers Association of BC (FPOABC)
• First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS)
• Training Providers – Justice Institute of BC (JIBC), College of the Rockies (COTR), Vancouver Island Emergency Response Academy (VIERA)

The Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC), as outlined in the Fire Safety Act (section 4(1)(d)(iii)), has the legislated mandate and responsibility to set and issue structure firefighter training standards. WorkSafeBC is also another provincial agency that would enforce operational safety through their legislation and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations as described and supported by the Training Standards.

It is the responsibility of the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to determine what level of fire service will be provided for the residents in their community jurisdiction.

If the service level stays the same, there is no need to declare again.

The local government.

The application of the Training Standards is not expected to impact the level of service provided to any community, but is expected to ensure that the fire services provided by the local authority are done in a safe and competent manner.

As the Training Standards requirements have been in force and effect since 2014, the AHJ must ensure their fire service (training and operations) is compliant with its declared service level (training program) and with WorkSafe BC regulations (fire operations actions).

The Training Standards enable the local government to clearly identify the specific training requirements and develop an appropriate training program to meet their chosen level of service. This coincidentally allows a more accurate determination of the resources needed by the community for the intended service level.

The OFC staff may periodically conduct reviews for Training Standards adoption and will be able to provide recommendations, advice and assistance where necessary. Ultimately the AHJ will have compliance requirements from WorkSafe BC in ensuring that they are meeting the intent and obligations of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations under the Workers Compensation Act.

The Training Standards were established pursuant to the requirement of the Fire Services Act and continue to be a requirement under the Fire Safety Act. A failure to comply with the Training Standards may result in potential legal liabilities for the AHJ. In addition, if there is a need for a fire service employee to initiate a claim for support from WorkSafe BC, compliance to the training standards will assist the person and their employers (AHJ) to prove appropriate due diligence at the time of incident. If you are unclear on your declared level of service, or if you are meeting your declared level of service, contact your regional fire service advisor from the OFC.

Training costs are outside of the purview of the OFC. However, training costs to the fire department are dependent upon the level of service and the methods of training selected by the AHJ or fire department for training program delivery.

The level of training is dependent on and related to the declared service level. The AHJ determines which level of service is to be provided, and as per the Training Standards matrix the training that will be needed to be met is described.

Requests for training curriculum materials must come from the fire chief. All parts of the request form must be completed and sent to OFC@gov.bc.ca.

Instructions

1. Download the request form (PDF, 159.9KB)
2. Indicate which service level curriculum is desired
3. The requestor will be emailed directly to download the training materials

Recipients will access the materials through the BC Secure File Transfer System link that is emailed to them from an OFC staff member.

Yes, as described in the Training Standards materials and within the WorkSafe BC Regulations, records should be kept of all training and evaluations by the Risk Management function (typically the fire chief) in each AHJ.

The intent and obligation of the Training Standards was to address the role of a structure firefighter's skills for the defined and declared operational level. There are other specialty roles related to overall safety on the fire ground that are also required in some manner and are the responsibility of the local jurisdiction/fire department to identify and train to using outside or internal resources and expertise.

For example: (as defined in the Training Standard)

• Team Leader – a firefighter or officer trained/qualified to lead a team of structure firefighters in the undertaking of a specific tactical objective or set of tasks in support of an overall objective. Team Leader qualifications are not based on, nor necessarily applicable to, a fire department staff rank.
• Incident Safety Officer – a trained structure firefighter with fire ground experience and education in identification of operational incident hazards before they become issues and who has capability of generating solutions or direct actions to avoid such hazards.
• Risk Management function – is not an operational function or position, but is a critical organizational responsibility required within the fire department to ensure that all department services are identifying and managing the risk and safety aspects of their overall capability. This is typically assigned to the fire chief. Areas of responsibility for the function include training program design, training records management, bylaw management, department operational guidelines, adherence to applicable regulations and standards and other non-fire ground matters related to safety and risk of the members of the fire department.

As with any established local government service that is provided to their residents, the AHJ should issue a bylaw, statute or policy statement that clearly expresses the specific authority and kind of service to be delivered for the community from their fire service group. With respect to fire services and suppression, this service level must be recognized and included in any guidelines or procedures provided to the fire department. It is the responsibility of the AHJ to ensure this takes place. Contact the OFC for further assistance.

Interior level operations are not restricted to or for any type of structure; however, isolated, or more complex structures must have a documented and comprehensive pre-incident plan that has been trained to and practiced by all members who might make entry into the structure.

Interior operations is a more comprehensive and dangerous service level compared to exterior operations and includes entry into structures and objects with the purpose of controlling and/or extinguishing the fire.

The Training Standards and declared level of service alone do not apply to operational decisions and restrictions on a fire scene. The requirements of any actions taken by a fire scene incident commander must consider all relevant WorkSafe BC Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation for structure firefighters (Part 31). The incident commander is responsible and accountable to ensure personnel have sufficient training to perform the task(s) to which they are assigned.

As with any incident, you are limited to the terms and conditions of WorkSafe BC OHS Regulation for firefighting and the qualifications outlined in the training standards in terms of what action can be undertaken at the scene.

If you don’t have enough interior trained personnel to affect a safe interior attack, then you must perform from an exterior only attack.

Any actions that require a firefighter to enter a structure must be overseen by an appropriately trained person(s) that has completed the minimum training standards of the interior operations level (either the team leader (interior) or incident commander (interior)) and the firefighter(s) must have appropriate interior operations firefighter training and equipment.

Any actions that require a firefighter to enter a structure must be overseen by an appropriately trained person(s) that has completed the minimum training standards of the interior operations level (either the Team Leader (Interior) or Incident Commander (Interior)) and the firefighter(s) must have appropriate interior operations firefighter training and equipment. The incident commander is responsible and accountable for ensuring personnel have sufficient training to perform the task(s) to which they are assigned.

Any incident commander needs to ensure that they are assigning appropriately trained and capable firefighters to the appropriate tasks to ensure due diligence and safety of any firefighter under their command. It is incumbent on mutual aid departments to understand and identify each other’s training capabilities.

Currently, there is no set colour code or tagging standards for distinguishing any of the potential firefighter capabilities related to service levels.

The exterior operations service level Training Standards applies to all external fire ground operational functions, except many of the support positions, such as, but not restricted to, first aid, first medical responder, critical incident stress support, hazardous spill response, etc. Specific training for these roles and applicable to the hazards involved, is still required, and must be addressed elsewhere in departmental training programs to meet WorkSafe BC OHS Regulation.