( 4 hr ) Drill Night Series – Fireground Search School HOT

Course Description

This 4-hour hands-on training program is designed to provide practical, skills-based instruction tailored to the specific needs of volunteer and career fire departments for in-service training. The training is structured to be flexible and responsive to local requirements, department protocols, and operational goals, making it ideal for regularly scheduled drill nights or on-shift company-level development.
The session emphasizes active participation, teamwork, and scenario-based learning to reinforce critical techniques and decision-making under realistic conditions. Topics can be selected based on departmental priorities and may include fireground operations, search and rescue, forcible entry, hose line advancement, ladders, ventilation, or specialized rescue tactics.
Each training block includes a safety briefing, equipment familiarization, skill demonstration, supervised practice, and a brief performance-based evaluation. The focus is on reinforcing foundational skills while encouraging confidence, consistency, and operational readiness among participants.
This program is adaptable to indoor or outdoor environments and can be conducted using available apparatus and equipment. It meets continuing education or annual proficiency requirements and supports NFPA training objectives as applicable.

Course Objectives

This hands-on training focuses on developing firefighters’ skills in conducting effective and safe fireground search operations. Participants will practice primary and secondary search techniques, victim removal, aggressive search patterns, and team communication in realistic, high-stress scenarios. Emphasis is placed on situational awareness, rapid victim location, and firefighter safety to enhance rescue success on the fireground

Course Details

• Hours: 4
• Maximum Students: 25
• Prerequisites: basic FF
• Practical Skills Sheets Available: yes

Standards & JPRs

• Associated NFPA Standard(s) & Edition(s): NFPA 1010
• NFPA Chapter(s): 6
• Associated JPRs: Chapter 6 & 7

Equipment & Training Props

• Student Equipment / PPE: PPE / SCBA
• Host Agency Equipment / Props: Training area / or facility, apparatus, misc hand tools.
• Vendor-Supplied Training Props: Maze props, Dummys, limited hand tools, expendables for breaching props