Background
Basic Firefighter is a set of courses (S-190, S-130, ICS-100), and L-180 (to be taken in advance online), developed by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), that candidates must successfully demonstrate proficiency in wildland fire fighting knowledge and skills to be certified as a Firefighter Type 2. NWCG sets the national standards for operations and qualifications in wildland fire. Their leadership provides for inter-operable wildland fire operations among federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners. After you complete this set of classes you will be a Fire Fighter Type II trainee or FFT2(t). To advance from a trainee to a fully qualified FFT2, you will also need to complete the FFT2 Position Taskbook (PTB), attached. This taskbook is required by some agencies, not all. Once you are qualified, you must maintain your qualifications by attending RT-130 (the annual refresher training), and passing a work capacity test.
Course Information
Students will need to bring:
• Pen/pencil and paper
• Water bottle
• Full set of fireline PPE (please see the PPE list, below).
• 1 hand tool
• Packed lunch and water for Thursday and Friday
• A belt weather kit and kestrel (if possible)
• Pants, boots, long sleeved shirts
• Comfortable running shoes/sneakers for the pack test (more information below)
Dress Code: depending on your uniform guidelines, you should wear your uniform or dress business casual. On the field day you will be required to wear your fireline PPE (more information below).
Required Fireline PPE
You will be required to have full set of PPE for the field portion of this training. Please check with your lead worker, supervisor or fire program manager for PPE that you can borrow. If you cannot come up with a set of PPE to borrow, PLEASE LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so we can try to arrange gear for you.
You will need the following PPE components:
• Wildland fire rated hardhat with chinstrap, preferably yellow
• Wildland fire goggles
• Nomex neck/face shroud
• Yellow Nomex fire jacket/shirt
• Yellow Nomex over pant or Green wildland fire brush pants
• Wildland rated fire gloves
*For this training, any leather work gloves will do
• Wildland fire line pack
• New generation fire shelter
• Wildland Fire Hand tool
• Leather boots that extend upward a minimum of 8” from heel, lugged vibram sole, no steel toe.
*For this training you can use any boots that provide ankle support, but you will need a wildland fire boot as part of your PPE for prescribed fire or fire response.
• Writing utensil and sharpie, pocket note pad.
• Required PPE that is OPTIONAL for this training:
o Headlamp
o Water bladder bag/water bottles
o Belt weather kit or digital weather monitor
o Compass
o First aid kit
o GPS unit/GPS app on your smart phone/mobile mapping app
o Lighter/matches
o Extra batteries
o Radio chest harness
o Flagging
o Gear bag
S190, Intro to Fire Behavior
This course, the prerequisite for S130, introduces the trainee to fuels, weather and topography, how they each influence fire behavior and how fire behavior affects risk to firefighters. This course is the foundation of everything you will learn throughout the week and as you advance in your education and experience in wildland fire management.
S190 Student Materials:
• Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 438: You must purchase the hardcover IRPG as part of your PPE (hard copy provided by State Parks)
Digital copy, available online:
https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pms461.pdf
• Fire Weather Cloud Chart, PMS 438:
http://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms438
• Psychometric Tables from “Fire Behavior Field Reference Guide, PMS 437
http://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms437/fire-behavior-field-reference-guide-pms-437
• Student Evaluation Task Sheet:
https://training.nwcg.gov/dl/s190/ILT/s-190-student-evaluation-task-sheet.pdf
• Student Workbook
https://training.nwcg.gov/dl/s290/s-190-student-workbook.pdf
S130, Firefighter Training
S130, Firefighting training, introduces the trainees to the basics of firefighting with a heavy emphasis on safety and risk management. Through online and hands-on training, the trainee will learn the basics of suppression tactics, communications, organization, water use, wildland urban interface and safety, among other topics pertinent to incident and risk management.
S130 Student Materials:
• IRPG:
https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pms461.pdf
• Student Evaluation Task Sheet:
https://training.nwcg.gov/dl/s130/s-130-student-evaluation-task-sheet.pdf
• Student Workbook: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/commerce/documents/ffc/certification_applications_forms/NWCG-S-130-Student-Workbook.pdf
• 10 & 18 Reference Tool
Incident Command System Courses: ICS100/IS100/IS700
While you must complete this course online, ICS-100 content will be discussed in class.
An introduction to the incident command system (ICS) is the backbone of incident management. These courses introduce the trainee to the ICS at the local/regional and national level regarding the organization of overhead and resources in response to an incident or managing a large event. Knowledge of ICS and how to navigate the Incident Command System is paramount to being successful during an incident.
• NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart:
NWCG Wildland Fire Position QualificationFlowchart, PMS 308
These courses are also available on the FEMA website: https://training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx
L180, Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service:
While you must complete this course online, L-180 content will be discussed in class.
This is the first in a series of leadership classes critical in the development of prescribed fire and wildland fire incident response. This course introduces the FFT2 trainee to the factors that influence human performance in high-risk environments. It is the first level in leadership development and decision making.
L-180 (Online) 2014 v2 | Wildland Fire Learning Portal
Human Factors in the Wildland Fire Service L-180, Student Workbook
Required Field Portion
Field activities will include: firing devices, patrol operations, hose lays, hand tools use and care, hand line construction, weather data collection, shelter deployment drills, and more.
Please bring your fire PPE, a hand tool, pen/pencil/paper, your IRPG, a packed lunch and water.
Work Capacity Test/Pack Test:
Pact tests are a requirement to fulfill many prescribed and wildland fire positions. The National Wildland Coordinating Group (NWCG) established the Work Capacity Test, better known as a Pack Test, as a standard for all federal wildland fire agencies. Levels tested are Arduous, Moderate and Light, and are position qualification dependent.
Please wear comfortable running shoes/sneakers for the pack test!
Moderate : 2 mile walk, wearing a 25lbs vest, completed in 30 min.
Arduous (required for FFT2): 3 mile walk, wearing a 45lbs vest, completed in 45 min.
Pack tests are required annually and can be arranged in your home unit during your Annual Fire Refresher Training (RT-130) or other district fire drills or training. If you do not pass your pack test, don’t worry! You can retake it in your home unit.
*Candidates must fill out a Health Screening Self Questionnaire prior to taking the test (attached).
More information provided here: