Program Overview & Records Management System (RMS)
Instructor Guide
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INDEX •
Program authors – Page 3 - 4
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General program overview - Pages 5 – 6
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Blue Card Hazard Zone Standard – Page 7
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Blue Card SOP’s – Page 8
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NIOSH recommended – Page 9
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Course pre-requisites - Page 10
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New student activation overview – Pages 11 - 24
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Online testing system overview – Page 20
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IC certification evaluation session overview – Pages 25 – 26
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CE program overview – Page 27
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Instructor training program overview - Pages 28 – 30
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Setting up a CTC – Page 31
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Blue Card product pricing – Pages 32 – 34
• Instructor RMS section – Page 35 •
Program enforcement rules – Pages 36 – 39
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Instructor Recertification – Page 40
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Instructor Email notification management – Page 41 - 44
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Dashboard overview – Pages 45 - 50
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Department rosters - Pages 51 - 63
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Event manager – Pages 64 - 86
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IC re-certification process – Pages 77 - 79
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HAZMAT IC Certification process – Pages 87 - 90
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IC re-certification process – Page 91 - 95
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CE module management - Pages 96 - 101
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CTC management – Pages 102 - 104
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Uploading Media into an iPad – Pages 105 - 110
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CTC in a Box pricing – Page 111
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Blue Card Sim Packages Overview – Pages 112 - 132
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Program Authors Alan, Nick and John Brunacini have over 130 years of combined experience in the American fire service. Most of their recent years have been spent focused on developing training programs and certification systems for local Incident Commanders managing an IDLH hazard zone. Alan Brunacini - joined the Phoenix Fire Department in 1958. He served in every department position. He was promoted to Fire Chief in 1978 and retired in 2006. He is a graduate of the Fire Protection Technology program at Oklahoma State University. He has a BS and an MPA from Arizona State University. He is the past Chairman of the Board of the National Fire Protection Association and the first Chairman and developer of the N.F.P.A. Fire Service Occupational Safety Committee (standard 1500). He was also the first Chairman of the N.F.P.A. Career Fire Service Career Organization and Deployment Committee (standard 1710). Alan Brunacini is the author of Fire Command, Command Safety, Timeless Tactical Truths, Essentials of Fire Department Customer Service and The Anatomy and Physiology of Leadership. He is currently working on several other fire service books. Alan also presents workshops, seminars and conferences to many fire departments throughout the country on various topics. Nick Brunacini - retired from the Phoenix Fire Department as a South Shift Commander in 2009. He joined the dept. in 1980. Nick worked his way through the ranks of the dept., working 7 years as a Firefighter on Engine Companies, then promoting to Captain and working 9 years on a Ladder Company. Nick served as a Battalion Chief for 5 years and was then promoted to the rank of Shift Commander in 2001 where he spent 5 years developing and instructing the Fire Command curriculum package taught at the PFD’s Command Training Center from 2002 to 2006. Nick is the author of B-Shifter – A Firefighters Memoirs, and is also the co-author of Command Safety, Fire Command and the Anatomy and Physiology of Leadership. Nick currently manages B-Shifter Magazine and certifies Blue Card instructors across the country.
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John Brunacini - retired as a Fire Captain from the Phoenix Fire Dept Oct. 2006. He served 26 years in the positions of Firefighter, Engineer and his last 14 years on the job as a Captain. As a Captain he developed and managed the Phoenix Fire Network, he worked in the field as the Company Officer on Ladder 11 B-shift for almost 10 years, and his last 3 years on the job he managed the department’s Command Training Center. After retiring, in 20072008, John worked with Henry Ryng (inXsol) in designing and implementing the Blue Card online training and certification program. He is continuing to instruct and develop curriculum packages for the Blue Card Command Training and Incident Commander Certification program (for Type 4 & 5 Incident types) and is currently the Training Chief of Clay Fire Territory, IN (as a Volunteer).
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General Program Overview The Incident Command Certification Program is designed to first instruct, train and then evaluate and certify Fire Dept. Officers who serve in the role of Incident Commander that supervise and manage emergency and hazard zone operations for every day, local NIMS Type 4 and Type 5 events. The “Blue Card” training program provides Fire Departments with a training and certification system that defines the best Standard Command Practices for common, local, everyday Strategic and Tactical emergency operations conducted on NIMS Type 4 & Type 5 events. This training and certification program produces Incident Commanders that make better decisions that will potentially eliminate the lethal and/or costly mistakes that cause injury, death, and unnecessary fire losses in the local response area. There are 4 main components of the Blue Card Training and Certification program: 1. Completion of the 40-50 hour online training program (Cognitive portion of the program) 2. Completion of the Simulation Evaluation Session (Manipulative portion of the program) 3. Continuing Education (CE) and 3 year re-certification process (Cognitive and Manipulative skill maintenance) 4. Instructor training and support program (Local delivery and management of the program) 1) The Blue Card 40 - 50 hour online training program: fulfills 100% of the Blue Card Hazard Zone Incident Command standard’s cognitive and knowledge based classroom requirements. The successful completion of this Blue Card online training program is the first step in the command certification process. Once the student has successfully passed the online training program with a 70% or higher cognitive test score, they will be eligible to attend a 3 day Blue Card simulation, evaluation lab. Students must attend an evaluation sim lab within 1 year from completing the online training program. 2) Blue Card simulation evaluation session: each student will be evaluated in the role of the initial arriving Incident Commander (E-1 officer) and as the second arriving Incident Commander (BC-1 response chief) during the evaluation process. The student will have to fill both of the Incident Commander roles for each of the programs 5 basic building types. The 5 basic building types are: residential, multi-unit residential, strip malls, commercial buildings, and big box structures. These occupancies represent over 90% of the structural fires we respond to and operate on. After successfully completing all of the required simulation evaluations, the student will be officially certified as a Blue Card IC.
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3) CE and 3 year re-certification process: after the student has successfully passed the evaluation lab and has obtained their local, Type 4 & 5 Incident commander certification, they will be required to have 12 hours of Strategic and Tactical Command training - continuing education hours per year. The Type 4 & 5 command certification will be valid for a 3-year period from the date the sim evaluation process is completed. At the end of the 3 year certification period, the student will need to have at least 36 Blue Card tracked CE hours along with successfully passing their IC evaluation requirements in order to recertify and maintain their Blue Card IC certification for another 3 year time period. 4) Instructor training and support program - A major objective of the Blue Card training and certification program is for individual departments or regions to effectively manage their certification and evaluation program themselves, while customizing the system to the local topography, resource levels, and SOPs. Future instructors will first enroll in the Blue Card online training portion of the program available at www.bluecardcommand.com. When the on-line portion of the program has been successfully completed, the instructor will be eligible to attend a Train the Trainer program. A Train the Trainer session consists of 5 consecutive, 8 hour days. The TtT participants will also get much more detailed lesson plans and instruction on the 5 basic occupancy/building types, tactical level embedded safety operations, command team operations, and mayday operations.
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Blue Card Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard Overview
The entire Blue Card IC Training and Certification Program is based on the Textbook “Fire Command” written by Alan Brunacini. The 1st edition of Fire Command was released in 1985. It was updated with the 2nd edition in 2001. The 2nd edition curriculum package included a 9 part DVD series, an Instructor’s Guide, a student workbook and the companion textbook Command Safety. Fire Command is recognized as one of the long standing, definitive works on local incident command across the globe.
rogram Overview
The Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard was finalized in 2009 and was adopted by the IFSAC (International Fire Service Accreditation Congress) Alternative Standards Council. The state of Minnesota was accredited by IFSAC to certify their IC’s using the Type 4 & 5 IC Standard. The Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard professional qualifications are a direct reflection of the IC’s checklist in the back of each of the Fire Command 2nd Edition Command Function chapters. The IC’s checklist for each command function outlines the cognitive and manipulative skills the IC needs to possess to successfully manage/fulfill/complete/perform that individual command function. The IC checklist bullet points were broken out and covered in detail in the Command Safety textbook. Command Safety was also extensively used to author the on-line training program. The Blue Card program is designed to produce safe and effective hazard zone operations. Because fire departments routinely operate at the scene of incidents with an IDLH atmosphere (immediately dangerous to life and health) it forces us to simultaneously manage incident command, strategy & tactics and firefighter safety. The effect of the program is two-fold. First, it develops the personal skills in officers required to supervise and manage incident operations that occur in a hazard zone. The second and more powerful effect is the Blue Card program standardizes incident operations across the entire department. The Blue Card Program has standardized operations across different mutual aid boundaries, different battalions, shifts and stations of 100’s of fire departments across the country.
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Blue Card Command SOP’s The Blue Card Command SOP’s directly reflect the Blue Card training and certification program operational procedures. The Blue Card SOP’s also cover the majority of all of the Blue Card IC professional qualifications found in the Blue Card Hazard Zone IC Standard. Blue Card is often asked for a terminology list of the program, the best reference material for all of the terminology used in the program and their corresponding definitions/explanations are all found in the Blue Card SOP’s. How responders are dispatched and put to work when they arrive on the scene is an essential component of the Blue Card Incident Management System (IMS). When this management occurs in a regular, orderly manner, the hazard-zone workers become part of the IC’s overall plan. This creates a safe and standard operations. The Blue Card SOP’s are organized and written around the Fire Command text book’s 8 Functions of Command. The 8 Functions of Command provide a simple, practical job description for the IC and helps define what “being in command” really means. It serves as an outline for everyone on the team to understand exactly (before, during, and after the incident), where the IC will be, what the IC will be doing, and how the IC will interact with the rest of the team. A clear statement of, and agreement on, the 8 Functions of Command serves as the common basis of the incident management system. The functions provide the basic management structure to customize an effective organizational response to the needs of each particular incident situation, and as the practical command plan and framework for incident escalation. Command procedures give the IC the responsibility for overall incident results, along with the organizational authority, putting all the incident responders to work with the same common set of tactical objectives. In order for this basic incident management game plan to be effective, all of the responders must follow an agreed upon, written down (in SOP form), practiced set of command procedures prior to the event. This is particularly crucial in view of the typical quick, fast moving, dangerous incident conditions where the system will be applied. The incident command system must be applied to every incident. “Saving” the command system exclusively for “the big one” is just another way of stating that your department doesn’t use, practice, or have an actual incident command system. The ongoing, every day, every event use of the system makes it a regular, habitual way of managing all emergency response.
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NIOSH Recommended Alan Brunacini - joined the Phoenix Fire Department in 1958. He served in every department position. He was promoted to Fire Chief in 1978 and retired in 2006. He is a graduate of the Fire Protection Technology program at Oklahoma State University. He has a BS and an MPA from Arizona State University. He is the past Chairman of the Board of the National Fire Protection Association and the first Chairman and developer of the N.F.P.A. Fire Service Occupational Safety Committee (standard 1500). He was also the first Chairman of the N.F.P.A. Career Fire Service Career Organization and Deployment Committee (standard 1710). Alan Brunacini is the author of Fire Command, Command Safety, Timeless Tactical Truths, Essentials of Fire Department Customer Service and The Anatomy and Physiology of Leadership. The entire Blue Card IC Training and Certification Program is based on Chief Brunacini’s Textbook “Fire Command”. The 1st edition of Fire Command was released in 1985. It was updated with the 2nd edition in 2001. Command Safety (released in 2003) was completely written around the IC’s checklists located in the back of each Fire Command Function chapter. Fire Command is recognized as one of the definitive works on local incident command and IDLH management across the globe. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has referred to and has recommended following the policies and procedures found in the Fire Command and Command Safety text books. NIOSH has made references and recommendations based on Chief Alan Brunacini and Fire Command in over 70 Hazard Zone (IDLH) Firefighter LODD reports. Please visit the Blue Card home page for more information at: www.BlueCardCommand.com. Once there, navigate to the NIOSH section of the website. There, we specifically provide examples of 5 LODD incidents where NIOSH referenced and/or recommended practices based on the Fire Command and Command Safety text books, and/or Alan Brunacini (the Blue Card Command Training and Certification program is 100% based on Fire Command and Command Safety). Because we have not found any new ways to kill and injure ourselves on the fireground, we review references from 5 of the most recent reports that have been published. The statements made in these 5 reports, are sadly repeated in over 70 other LODD reports. Links to all of the NIOSH LODD reports that reference Fire Command, Command Safety, or Alan Brunacini follow the 5 examples shown on the Blue Card website.
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Course Qualifications/Prerequisites Blue Card Certified IC • • •
Must be a FF I & II Minimum of 5 years of operational field experience, or With the permission of the AHJ
Blue Card Certified Instructor • • • •
Must be a FF I & II Company officer rank or higher Minimum of 7 years of operational field experience, or With the permission of the AHJ
The ideal Blue Card instructor would be a Department Training Officer, Response Chief or Ranking Operations Chief (Shift Commander, District Chief, etc.).
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New Student Activation Overview This section of the document (pages 11-24) overviews the PDF that all new IC students receive when they are activated onto the Blue Card online training system. This document gives a new student a comprehensive overview of the online training programs inner workings and the IC certification program. Blue Card strongly suggests in the email containing the PDF that the student spend the time needed to review the body of this document before launching the training program.
There are 3 main elements of the Blue Card IC training and certification program: 1. Completion of the 40-50 hour online training program (Cognitive portion of the program) 2. Completion of the Simulation Evaluation Session (Manipulative portion of the program) 3. Continuing Education (CE) and 3 year re-certification process (Cognitive and Manipulative skill maintenance) 1) The Blue Card 40 - 50 hour online training program: fulfills 100% of the Blue Card Hazard Zone Incident Command standard’s cognitive and knowledge based classroom requirements. A student has one (1) year to complete the online training program after their first login. The successful completion of the Blue Card online training program is the first step in the command certification process. Once the student has successfully passed the online training program with a 70% or higher cognitive test score, they will be eligible to attend a 3 day Blue Card simulation, evaluation lab. Students must attend an evaluation sim lab within 1 year from completing the online training program. 2) Blue Card simulation evaluation session: each student will be evaluated in the role of the initial arriving Incident Commander (E-1 officer) and as the second arriving Incident Commander (BC-1 response chief) during the evaluation process. The student will have to fill both of the Incident Commander roles for each of the programs 5 basic building types. The 5 basic building types are: residential, multi-unit residential, strip malls, commercial buildings, and big box structures. These occupancies represent over 90% of the structural fires we respond to and operate on. After successfully completing all of the required simulation evaluations, the student will be officially certified as a Blue Card IC.
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3) CE and 3 year re-certification process: after the student has successfully passed the evaluation lab and has obtained their local, Type 4 & 5 Incident commander certification, they will be required to have 36 hours of Strategic and Tactical Command training - continuing education hours accrued over a 3 year period. The Type 4 & 5 command certification will be valid for a 3-year period from the date the sim evaluation process is completed. At the end of the 3-year certification period,
the student must have at least 36 Blue Card tracked CE hours along with successfully passing their IC evaluation requirements in order to recertify and maintain their Blue Card IC certification for another 3 year time period.
Blue Card online training computer and browser requirements The program can be viewed on; Windows based desktops and laptops, Drone/Window based smart pads, IPads and Mac computers. The program cannot be viewed with any type of smart phone.
All PC based systems should have the latest/updated version of the browser installed on their computer. The Blue Card online training program will work with; Internet Explorer (IE), Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. We suggest that you clear your browser history before each login. Mac products should use Safari exclusively to view the training program. Using any other browser on a Mac requires a Flash plug in. The only iPad browser that Blue Card supports is Safari. IPad users must use Safari to view the training program. Logging into the training program: clicking on the link provided in this document will take you to the login page below. Please add the training login site to your favorites the first time you get there. Clicking “Log In” at the top of the Bshifter.com home page will take you to the student login screen. Once there: type in the email address that was used to create your training account. Type in the temporary password provided in this document. If the system is not recognizing your credentials with the temporary password provided, ensure that you’re logging in with the correct email address.
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Once you have successfully logged in, you’ll be required to reset your password. Please contact your system administrator if you have forgotten your new password (or call 855-872-5822).
After successfully changing your password, you’ll need to agree to the Blue Card license agreement in order to access the online training material. Once the user has clicked the “AGREE” button, YOUR ONE
(1) YEAR ACCESS TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM WILL START AND YOU HAVE ONE (1) YEAR TO COMPLETE THE ONLINE TRAINING MODULES. Failing to complete the online training modules within one (1) year from clicking on the “AGREE” button, the system will automatically reset the user’s training modules back to the Introduction module and the user will have to start the training modules over again in order to become a certified IC.
After agreeing to the license agreement, all Blue Card training is accessed using “myDashboard”. The dashboard provides the user with up to date status on exactly where they are in the training, certification, and re-certification processes.
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IC certification and re-certification Dashboard Possibilities
KEY
Functions of
Functions of
Functions of
Command Available
Command
Command Completed
Schedule IC Cert Class Requires Module Completion
In Progress Must complete by:
Schedule IC
Scheduled IC
Cert Class
Cert Class
Must Complete by:
4-12-15 to 4-15-15
Text Books
Student transcripts
Certified IC Requires Evaluation Session
Certified IC Exp. Date 4-15-18
CE Modules
CE Modules
Available
In progress
Completed Next Available
CE Hours
CE Hours
CE Hours
0
1-35
36+
Simulation
Simulation
Simulation
Re-Cert Evals
Re-Cert Evals
Re-Cert Evals
0
1-10
10+
Re-Cert
Re-Cert
Re-Cert
Module Available
Module In Progress
Module Completed
Re-Cert Test Available
Re-Cert Test In Progress
Re-Cert Test Completed
Re-Cert Module Requires CE and Evals Completed
Re-Cert Test Requires Re-Cert Module Completion
After completing the online training modules, the student has 1 year to attend an IC certification session or their Function modules will reset and they must be recompleted to certify as an IC.
CE Modules
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To access the command training modules, click on the 8 Functions of Command dashboard tile arrow. This will take you to the screen below. Once started, the tile in the dashboard will turn green and every time you log in, the tile will show your progress through the training modules. When completed, the tile will turn blue.
Blue Card Core 8 Functions of Command Menu Program enforcement; because the Blue Card on-line training program ties directly into a certification program, the student is required to view and listen to, all of the programs content in order to satisfy all of the standards cognitive, knowledge based training requirements. Enforcement applies to all the individual training modules. The Command Function modules must be done in order, sequentially, starting with the Intro module. Students are not able to open up another Command Function module until the current training module is 100% completed.
A STUDENT HAS ONE (1) YEAR TO COMPLETE THE ONLINE TRAINING MODULES. Failing to complete the online training modules within one (1) year from clicking on the user agreement, the system will automatically reset the user’s modules back to the Introduction module and the user will have to start the training modules over again in order to become a certified IC. 15
Top menu bar on all of the training pages
Page/Slide number you’re viewing and the total number of slides contained in that particular training module.
< Prev & Next> buttons Once all Enforced material on a slide has been completely viewed, the Next arrow will turn green and the student can advance to the next slide. Once a slide has been viewed, the student can navigate back to it using the Prev arrow button or the module lesson menu located in the upper left hand corner.
Lesson Menu Icon Clicking on the menu icon at the top of the page will take you out of the current slide you’re working on, to a menu page that contains all of the slides/pages for the particular module you’re working in. A student can open any previous slide viewed in the program. Complete slides will appear as solid blue. Slides that are greyed out, cannot be opened and viewed until the student has progressed to and has completed all of the enforcement for that particular slide. After logging out, the next time you log back in, the system will take you back to the last slide you completed after launching the Command Function module.
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Online training system web page formats and Enforcement The Blue Card online training program is comprised of several different types of internet templates that will be used throughout the training program. These templates include: • • • • •
Video pages Text pages with graphics Test your knowledge pages that incorporate simulation videos, subject matter experts, multiple choice questions, and sample radio traffic files Several different types of radio message formulation pages Student assessment test pages (the programs cognitive testing)
The next section will feature the different web pages and their associated system Enforcement: Video Pages Contain a single video that must be viewed in its entirety before being able to advance to the next slide in the program. Video pages can contain a subject matter expert or a video segment out of the Fire Command video package that is associated with the Blue Card training program. Enforcement - Each video must be viewed in its entirety before the Next button will turn green to advance. Videos cannot be scrubbed through. Once a video has started playing, the only option a student has is to start and stop the video until it has finished playing. Text Pages Text pages give a detailed synopsis of the Type 4 and 5 Hazard Zone IC certification standard’s professional qualifications (Pro-Quals). The reference textbook that is used for the standards testing is Fire Command 2nd edition. The cognitive testing portion of the online program is covered later in the document.
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Text Page Enforcement Every text page is enforced with a timer that is represented by a RED bar that scrolls from one end of the screen to the other. The red bar represents the total words contained in the slide and it scrolls at the rate of reading 300 words per minute (80 words per minute faster than a 12th grade reading level). Once enough time has elapsed (based on the number of words per slide) the Next button will turn green and the student can advance to the next slide. Test Your Knowledge Pages There are several “Test your knowledge” web pages throughout the training program. These pages provide excellent exercises for the student because they put the reading material into practical application. None
of the Test Your Knowledge questions or the scenario exercise questions correlate into your final grade. So, if you miss one of these, don’t worry. It doesn’t count against your cognitive assessment grade and several of the test your knowledge pages have 2 or more right answers based on the different tactical options for the scenario.
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Test Your Knowledge & Radio Traffic Pages Enforcement
The scenario video must play in its entirety.
The Chief’s input video must play in its entirety.
The sample radio transmission must play in its entirety.
All questions must be answered and submitted before the Next button will turn green.
Cognitive Testing Pages At the end of each Command Function Module, there will be a 10 question test for a total of 8 tests throughout the training program, for a total of 80 answers scored. All 8 test scores will be combined and correlated for the student’s final score. A minimum average combined score of a 70% is required to successfully pass the course.
These tests count towards the students final testing score. Please use the Fire Command reference text books provided with your online subscription as your study guide for successfully passing the programs online testing system. 19
Online Testing System The reference textbook for the cognitive online testing portion of the IC certification program is Fire Command 2nd Edition. There is a Fire Command e-textbook provided to the student with each online subscription. The cognitive tests throughout the modules count toward their overall completion status, please study the reference material provided prior to taking the online tests. E-textbooks are Flash based and cannot open on an iPad.
The Blue Card on-line cognitive testing system is set up so the users gets one (1) – ten (10) question test at the end of each Command Function module. There are over 40 questions in the test bank for each Command Function (over 300 available questions for the entire program). Each Command Function test randomly selects 10 of the 40 questions at the end of each module. Each question’s multiple-choice answers are jumbled each time that question is displayed in the system. This offers a test bank of over 1,200 possible right answers. Students must have a minimum passing score of 70% in order to receive their online training certificate. Instructors can see their students overall online test scores when viewing their department rosters. Students can also see in their dashboard more detailed information on their individual module test scores. Each student gets three (3) attempts to pass a module test with a minimum score of 70%. 1st Attempt – Occurs at the end of each Command Function module with a 10-question multiple choice test. If the overall test score is under a 70% average, they will get 2 more attempts to pass the modules cognitive test. Please study the reference material provided while in the testing process. 2nd Attempt - The student will be able to take the 2nd test as soon as they finish their online module with a failing score (below 70%). The second test will also be a ten (10) question multiple choice test. If the student achieves a score of 70% or greater, the training module will be completed and the next Command Function module will become available. If their 2nd module test score is under a 70% average, they will get one (1) more attempt to pass the test and they will be locked out of the training modules for 72 hours. 3rd Attempt - After being locked out of the modules for 72 hours, the student will be able to take the same structured test as test #2. If the student achieves a score of 70% or greater on test #3, the training module will be completed and the next Command Function module will become available. If their 3rd overall test score is below a 70% average, the online training module will be reset to an un-scored status and they will have to take the entire online training module over again in order to participate in the testing process a 2nd time. The Blue Card cognitive testing system directly reflects and complies with all other accredited fire service testing and certification programs.
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Continuing Education Modules After successfully completing the online training program, CE modules will become immediately available for the student. To access the CE modules, click on the arrow in the CE Modules dashboard tile.
Blue Card provides 2 Continuing Education (CE) Modules with the first - one (1) year online subscription. Once a student has successfully completed their 8 Functions of Command online training modules, they can print their completion certificate and there will be two (2) CE modules that are immediately available to the student for the remainder of their first one (1) year subscription. If a student does not renew their subscription at the end of their 365 day subscription period, they will have NO more access to any on-line training material, even if they did not complete all of their available CE modules. A student who has renewed their subscription with the $125.00 option, will receive access to all CE modules during their one (1) year renewal period along with access to any other CE modules that have been activated during any previous 1-year subscription period. There are 2 (two) possible ways a student can have their CE modules delivered: 1. The student selects what CE modules to access 2. The Instructor(s) for the department selects what CE modules students have access to
1. The student selects their own CE modules to access Once a student has successfully passed the on-line training program, they will be presented with the screen below. The student will have the option to pick their 2 CE modules (the entire CE module list will be available to choose from) and to print their on-line training completion certificate. Instructors have access to all of their student’s Blue Card completion certificates by accessing a student’s profile using the instructor tools in the admin section of the website. The 2 CE modules will be available to the student for the remainder of their 1 year subscription; i.e.; the student completes their online training with 200 days remaining on their subscription, they have 200 days to finish their 2 CE modules, or the student completes the online training with 10 days remaining on their subscription, they have 10 days to finish their 2 CE modules.
All CE modules that are currently on the system will be available to choose from 21
2. The Instructor for the department selects what CE modules their students have access to A student who just completed their online training modules where the department Instructor has selected their CE modules, will see the screen below. This screen advises the student of what CE modules were selected and they are now available to the student for the remainder of their 1 year subscription.
After clicking proceed on the above page, to access the CE modules, click on the arrow in the CE Modules dashboard tile. Once a CE is started, the tile in the dashboard will turn green and every time you log in, the tile will show your progress through the CE modules. When completed, the tile will turn blue and will advise when the next CE is available.
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Common first time login issues Below are the common technical issues that are encountered when first logging into the training system:
Pop-Up Blocker Pop-Up Blocker must be turned off to view the program. There are several different browsers a student can use. Each browser will have a unique way to navigate to the Pop-up blocker setting. An Internet Explorer (IE) browser is demonstrated in the graphic. Clicking on the “Tools” menu will bring up a drop down menu. Navigate to the Pop-up blocker settings to turn off.
Clear your Browser History prior to each log in. Each browser will have a unique way to navigate to clearing your browser’s history. A Chrome browser is demonstrated in the graphic. Clicking on the menu icon in the top right corner will bring up the drop down menu shown to the right. Navigate to the “History” tab and click. Once clicked, the screen below will appear. Click on the “Clear browsing data...” button. This will clear your browser of its previous data. Most issues with
viewing the program are solved by clearing your browser history/data.
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URL & Login Information Thank you for taking the time to completely view this document prior to logging in for the first time. Blue Card hopes the information will greatly assist the student in understanding the overall Blue Card certification process and the inner workings of the on-line training system. Go to this web address (URL) to log into the training program:
www.bshifter.com
Please put it in your favorites once you’re at the login page. Your Login name/user name: your Your temporary password is:
email address that this activation email was sent to
safety
You’ll have to change your password after the first time you log in. Your system administrator can reset your password if you forget it. To email Blue Card, please contact us at:
[email protected] Contact Blue Card toll free at: 855.872.5822
Thank you for participating in the Blue Card Hazard Zone IC training and certification program.
Please be safe!
This concludes the Student Activation Overview section
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IC Certification Evaluation Session Overview Once the student has successfully completed the Blue Card online training program, they will be eligible to participate in the evaluation/testing phase of the program. The evaluation portion of the program incorporates: • • • •
Standard 8 Functions of Command Regional Standard Operating Procedures Tactical Operations Templates for 5 local occupancy types High fidelity structure fire simulations
The online program uses a wide variety of structure fire simulations throughout each of the 9 modules. The Blue Card program uses 5 distinct building types for size up and incident action planning. These building types include:
The Hazard Zone Management – Incident Command Standard Certification Program requires that each student successfully pass evaluation on both command positions for each of the 5 different building types. Simulations are typically delivered at a Command Training Center (CTC). Each student must successfully serve as the Incident Commander (IC) in a fast attack position (mobile) and a strategic command position (inside a BC’s rig) for each of the 5 building types (a total of 10 times) to become certified. 25
The simulation evaluation portion of the course merges the Hazard Zone Management - Incident Command Standard with the local; resources, SOP’s, tactical hazards, and the standard operational action required for conducting safe and effective locally based operations. The simulation based training provides the students with valuable hands on training and experience for high risk, low frequency events. Search/rescue, fire control and property conservation are all done a little bit different based on the occupancy type. Search and rescue is going to be managed differently in a vacant building than it will be in a fully occupied apartment complex. One of the foundational elements of the Blue Card system is all tactical action is based on the actual incident conditions (or critical factors). This makes the size up and review and revision process major ongoing IC responsibilities. Using the same simulations for the sim lab that are also used throughout the online program builds familiarity for the students and leads to much smoother simulations. The ultimate goal of the program is to give the students the necessary tools to safely and effectively manage hazard zone operations. Central to this mission is basing operations on the Blue Card curriculum. One of the biggest pitfalls of simulation-based training is delivering it in the absence of a curriculum. Attempting to run a command training program without a curriculum turns the program into an opinion-based, Easter egg hunt. No other training tool will expose operational shortcomings better than a well-run simulation lab that is based on a curriculum. The Blue Card program not only builds the personal skills of each student, it also serves as a means to make improvements to the systems we use to manage the hazard zone (ICS), the local strategy & tactics we employ, and the systems we use to keep firefighters operating safely. On the surface these may appear to be separate systems but in application they all must connect, align and work together simultaneously. Used to its full advantage, the Blue Card program can serve as the system used to help manage the Operations Division. The Incident Command Certification will be valid for a 3 year period. At the end of the 3 year period, the Certificate holder must have enough continuing Strategic and Tactical training hours to re-certify (36 total CE hours) and all of their IC evaluations performed again in their certification time period. 26
Continuing Education Program Overview In order to support the continued education and recertification process, Blue Card provides 2 Continuing Education (CE) Modules with the first one (1) year online subscription. The Blue Card CE modules provide the student with excellent strategic and tactical information on the program’s 5 building types. All of the Blue Card CE’s coincide with associated Instructor training packages that make it easy for the Instructor to coordinate monthly/quarterly classroom sessions that support the recently viewed online training material.
CE Module Section
Once a student has completed their 8 Functions of Command online training modules, there will be two (2) CE modules that are immediately available to the student for the remainder of their first one (1) year subscription. If a student does not renew their subscription at the end of their 365-day subscription period, they will have NO more access to any on-line training material, even if they did not complete all of their available CE modules. A student who has renewed their subscription with the $125.00 option, will receive access to all CE modules in the CE training section. Any viewed CE modules will reset after the student re-certifies as an IC at the end of their 3year IC certification.
CE Module – Residential Part 1
Certified Instructors have the option to designate what 2 CE modules their students have access to during the first year of their subscription status. The Blue Card IC Standard calls for 12 hours of continuing education annually [36 total CE hours in order to re-certify at the end of the 3-year IC certification period] along with being evaluated in each of the Command positions for each of the 5 standard building types at least once in the 3year certification period. The RMS system will help an Instructor or administrator track:
Instructors have the ability to prioritize the CE modules their students view
• • • •
The total number of CE hours for the 3-year period Blue Card CE module progress Strategic and Tactical CE Events attended (created in the Event Manager) Simulation evaluation and tracking grid 27
Instructor Training Program Overview A major objective of the Blue Card training program is for individual departments or regions to effectively manage the certification and evaluation program themselves, while customizing the system to the local topography, resource levels, and SOPs. Future instructor/certifier’s will first enroll in the Blue Card online training portion of the program available at www.bluecardcommand.com. When the on-line portion of the program has been successfully completed, the instructor will be eligible to attend the Train the Trainer program. The Train the Trainer program consists of 5 consecutive, 8-hour days. Much more time is spent reviewing each simulation with the student/instructor in order to cover all of the teaching and evaluation points of the certification process. The TtT participants will also get much more detailed lesson plans and instruction on the 5-basic occupancy/building types, tactical level operations, command team operations and mayday operations. Instructor candidates must have at least 7 years of fire service experience. The ideal Blue Card instructor would be a Department Training Officer, Response Chief or Ranking Operations Chief (Shift Commander, District Chief, etc.). After the instructor has successfully completed the entire program, they will be provided with a 1-year license to use a very large instructor’s media package. The contents of the Instructors media package are detailed in the pricing section of the overview. 5 Day TtT course schedule: Day 1
AM - Introductions, Command Function Review PM – Communications Review, Commercial Sets & Reps
Day 2
AM – Commercial simulations, Strip Mall Sets & Reps PM – Strip Mall Simulations, Residential Sets & Reps
Day 3
AM – Residential Simulations, Apartment Simulations PM – Apartment Simulations, Big Box Simulations
Day 4
AM – Mayday Overview Presentation PM – Mayday Operations, Mayday Simulations
Day 5
AM - Blue Card Overview Presentation, Media Review PM – Blue Card RMS Overview
The Blue Card TtT program offers FD's with incredible, turn-key resources that will help implement a comprehensive, local command training program at a fraction of the costs it would take a FD to produce the material/program themselves. It will also provide departments with a core group of instructors/evaluators that are now trained and equipped to deliver the Blue Card evaluation, certification, continuing education, and re-certification processes to the members of their own department or region.
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Blue Card Instructor Support What the Instructor Gets: Quarterly Simulations All Certified Blue Card Instructors will receive 1 full year of support from the date of their Instructor certification. This includes Multi-position tactical simulations, new PowerPoint Presentations, as well as updated curriculum packages. Each new simulation added to the Instructors package will fit into the 5 building types and will continue to build on previous Blue Card themes. Each Blue Card simulation also comes with a PowerPoint Sim Review and Instructor Guides.
Sim Reviews & Instr. Guides The PowerPoint Sim reviews have been streamlined since the beginning of the Instructors program. Each sim review is now designed to guide the sim review discussion around the Strategic Decision Making model, while stressing the need to perform good communication skills around the 6 standard radio transmission types. The Instructors Guide that is included with each sim gives the Instructor an excellent overview of the simulation goals, the primary positions in the sims, the conditions they will encounter, along with the sim eval sheets and benchmarking already included in the Instructors guide.
Instructor Download Center All of the programs Instructor material is loaded into and is ready to be downloaded out of the Instructors Download Center. This is an invaluable resource for the Instructors. It contains all of the Instructor support material, new material is constantly being added, while the older material is updated and re-posted as necessary. The download center can be accessed on any computer with an internet connection. This makes all Blue Card training material available to every Instructor 24/7/365, no matter where you are, you’ll have access to the training material. 29
Additional PowerPoint’s Additional PowerPoint’s authored by the Brunacini’s are frequently added to the Instructors download center. This gives Instructors the materials to customize and make similar presentations to the members in your own department who would not otherwise get a chance to see these materials being presented.
Task Manual Because the most important operational level on a hazard zone is the Task Level, Blue Card will devote a great deal of time and energy in presenting best practice, task level skill evolutions. Knowing the time it takes and the difficulties in carrying out the routine tasks that we perform on regular basis, directly correlates into an IC’s effectiveness when assigning units while forecasting fast moving events. Every issue of the Instructors Newsletter and BSHIFTER magazine will detail these standard evolutions with videos; SOP’s and company level evaluation sheets.
Instructors Newsletter When needed, all of the Blue Card Instructors are emailed the Blue Card Instructor’s Newsletter. Newsletters will detail all of the new material added to the system, along with any new enhancements or changes made to the training site. The newsletter will also feature material in Task Manual that focuses on the task level skill sets that solve our hazard zone problems.
Blue Card Instructors Meetings The Blue Card training staff is 100% committed to sustaining and constantly improving the training and information we produce. The only way to do this is to connect with the Instructors who are actually delivering the program in their departments. Quarterly Blue Card Instructors CE’s gives the Blue Card staff a chance to meet with our Instructors on a consistent basis, listen to their input on how to improve and enhance the program, as well as showcase the improvements and the new training materials that have been added to the system over the previous 6 months. These are great get together’s and they are free to all Blue Card instructors. 30
Setting up your own Command Training Center The Blue Card training and certification program is not facility driven, it is driven by the curriculum and qualified instructors. All that is required are 6 to 8 computers (work stations, laptops, or iPads) a set of radios, a projector with a computer, and a white board. Blue Card exclusively uses the simulation software program Fire Studio, produced by Digital Combustion, to build and run our simulations. You must have this software in order to run and use the simulations we provide. For current pricing and the computer specs needed to run the Fire Studio, please visit them at: www.digitalcombustion.com . Here is an example of the step by step process on how the program is generally implemented into a local fire department or region: 1. Identify the individuals in your department/region who will become the command trainers. These individuals should have a very strong operations background. Shift Commanders, Battalion Chiefs, Training Officers and Safety Officers are all well suited to this task. 2. Put these individuals through the Blue Card online training program. After they successfully complete the 40 to 50-hour online training program, they are qualified to enter into a 5-day TtT session. 3. Instructors are encouraged to enroll in a 3-day certification lab prior to entering into a TtT course, although it is not required. 4. Enroll in a 5-day TtT course at www.BlueCardCommand.com. The first 3 days of the TtT session, all students will go through a 3-day simulation check off (even if they have already been previously certified). Once the IC check off has been successfully completed, over the last 2 days, students will get much more detailed lesson plans and instruction on the 5-basic occupancy/building types, tactical level operations, command team operations, and mayday operations. There will also be an in depth look at the online Instructor/administrative, student tracking, and certification tools. 5. After completing the TtT program, instructors and the individuals responsible for managing the operations division(s) in their fire department or region should have a series of meetings to determine what (if any) changes need to be made to the curriculum and/or their own department’s operations manual before the certification program is presented to the rest of the department (Blue Card provides SOP’s and other training materials that streamlines and makes the implementation process much less time intensive). 6. All members that are identified as needing the certification will need to be put on the Blue Card online training program. This portion of the program represents completing the necessary cognitive requirements of the standard. 7. After your members successfully complete the online training program they are ready to go through your department’s sim lab. The evaluation portion of the IC certification process should be tailored to your department’s local topography, resource levels, and SOPs. The simulation lab can be done “academy” style using a 3-day sim lab, or using other schedules that works for your department. This portion of the program represents completing the necessary manipulative/hands on evaluation portion of the standard. 8. Instructors must use the online Instructor tools to manage their students online progress, certification evaluation process, and the students three (3) year re-certification process.
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Blue Card Product Pricing Blue Card On-line training program - $385.00 Blue Card Annual Continuing Education (CE) program - $125.00 Blue Card Annual Continuing Student Record Management Access (No CE) $27.00 Blue Card 1st Responder Incident Command System Overview Module - $60 Blue Card Train the Trainer Instructor Program - $4,500.00 Blue Card Annual Instructor Support Program - $2,000.00* Blue Card online subscription - $385.00 You get 1 full year of the following: • Over 50 hours of comprehensive, state of the art, highly interactive, simulation based, online training on the standard 8 Functions of Command delivered by the Authors of the program; Alan, Nick and John Brunacini (along with several other renowned presenters) • The Blue Card on-line training program fulfils the cognitive requirements of the IFSAC – Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard for NIMS Type 4 & 5 Incidents (accredited in Minnesota) • Full access to all training modules • Fire Command 2nd Edition, E-Textbook (IFSAC Standard Reference Textbook) • Command Safety, E-Textbook (IFSAC Standard Reference Textbook) • Fire Command 2nd Edition, PDF-Workbook • 4 – 3+ hour, Quarterly CE modules (from the date of online activation) 2017 - Blue Card Annual Continuing Education (CE) - $125.00 v Subscribers MUST complete the Blue Card on-line training program prior to getting access to the CE modules You get 1 full year of the following: • Full access to all CE’s in the system (20+) • Continued access to Blue Card modules • Continued access to E-Textbooks • All CE’s are tied into the Instructors Support Packages 2017 - Blue Card Annual Continuing Student Record Management Access (No CE) - $27.00 • • •
Instructors will get 1 year of access to all of the Student’s training, certification and re-certification records using the Blue Card Records Management System Full Blue Card office support The student will have no on-line access to any Blue Card training material
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Blue Card 1st Responder Incident Command System Overview Module - $60 The Command Overview Module provides other personnel who do not fill a hazard zone management role/position a detailed overview and a basic working knowledge of a NIMS Type 4 & 5 Hazard Zone Incident Command System. This online program will give Firefighters, Drivers/Pump operators, dispatchers and EMS personnel a general working knowledge of the command system being implemented and used in your department. It will also give junior members of your department a good look at the type of training their officers are involved in and what’s to come in their future. Blue Card Train the Trainer (TtT) Instructor Program - $4,500.00 v All TtT students must successfully complete the on-line training program prior attending a TtT session What an Instructor receives During a TtT session: • • • • • • • •
Five – 8 hour days of instruction by Certified, Blue Card Lead Instructors First three (3) days of the session the student will be certified as a Blue Card IC The last two (2) days of the session will focus on: Instruction and detailed lesson plans on the 5 basic occupancy/building types Instruction and detailed lesson plans on Tactical and Embedded Safety Operations Instruction and detailed lesson plans on Command Team Operations Detailed lesson plans and instruction on Mayday Operations Certification management, RMS tools overview, and system delivery
All Instructors will receive the following material in the Instructor Certification Package: • 32 gig iPad • Command Functions Review and Communications Overview PowerPoint and Instructors Guides • Residential, Multi-Unit Residential, Strip Mall, Commercial, and Big Box Tactical Template PowerPoint’s and Instructors Guides • Over 30 - Residential, Multi-Unit Residential, Strip Mall, Commercial, and Big Box Simulations. All with Incident Review PowerPoint's and Instructors Guides (20 simulations total) • 16 MP4 video package that includes; Fire Command Video Series, Critical Factors Video Series, Managing Mayday Video Series; On-Deck, Recycle, 3 Deep, and SDG Operations MP4 videos What an Instructor receives for 1 year after a TtT session (Trainer Certification date): • • • • • •
Continued access to all Blue Card online modules Continued access to all E-Textbooks Access to all available Quarterly CE modules CE’s are also tie into and correlate with the Instructors Training Packages & BSHIFTER Magazine Access to the Blue Card Instructors Download Center Administrative rights. This allows Instructors to monitor all of their members’ progress on the online training program and CE modules. This is a state of the art, RMS that helps the instructor with student tracking and certification, and re-certification that includes many features to assist an Instructor in coordinating dept wide Blue Card training.
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Instructors Training Packages • • • •
Additional tactical simulations are added every year. Included in new simulation packages are the Instructor Simulation Overviews and the classroom Simulation PowerPoint Reviews (Pre-Loads) Updates to previous training materials Task, Tactical, and Strategic Level training packages Videos, PowerPoint presentations, and more…
All Blue Card Instructors are also invited to the Blue Card quarterly, Phoenix, AZ 2-day Instructor CE’s (all free, you just have to get there). The focus of the Instructor CEs will be to review the Instructors material sent out the previous 6 months, to get program input from all Instructors and it will also give all the Instructors a chance to network, coordinate and trade ideas. *Blue Card Annual Instructor Support Program - $2,000.00 After the 1-year subscription has ended, Blue Card Certified Instructors have the option to continue subscribing to the Blue Card Instructor Support Program. The Instructor will continue to receive all of the year’s previous services outlined above. For a single department that has more than one instructor and the Dept. wants to have all their instructors continue their subscription and admin services, the license(s) fees will be: • • • •
$2,000.00 for the first Instructor $500.00 each for the next two Instructors $100.00 each for any remaining department Instructors No Instructor outside of the department renewing can be included in the department’s renewal process (there will be no exceptions to this rule)
For any Blue Card Assistance Please contact Jen at: Toll Free (855) 872-5822
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Instructor Section
Records Management System (RMS) Overview 35
Program Enforcement Rules Overview The following “Enforcement Rules” apply to all other fire department certification programs that FD’s certify to (EMS, Haz Mat, USAR, TRT, etc.). Currently, Blue Card must comply with all A.C.E. regulations (and all other FD program certification guidelines) that are detailed below.
Certification Once a student has first logged into the program, they have 1 year to complete the 8 Functions of Command training modules with a minimum passing score of 70%. Not completing the 8 Functions of Command training modules within a 1-year period will require the student to retake the entire 8 Functions of Command training modules over again (if still an active subscriber, the dashboard will automatically reset the student’s Function modules). Once a student has successfully completed their 8 Functions of Command online training modules, there will be two (2) CE modules that are immediately available to the student for the remainder of their first one (1) year subscription. These are provided so the student can stay connected to the training material if there is a long delay in entering a simulation evaluation session. If a student/dept. does not renew their subscription at the end of their 365-day subscription period, the student will have NO more access to any online training material, even if they did not complete all of their available CE modules. A student/dept. who has renewed their subscription with the $125.00 option, will receive access to all CE modules on the system. All viewed CE modules will reset after the student has successfully recertified at the end of their 3-year certification period. A student cannot obtain CE hours until they have been certified as an IC in a simulation evaluation session. A student cannot be added to any Dept. CE roster until they have been certified in a simulation evaluation session. A student has 1 year from the day they successfully complete the 8 Functions of Command training modules to be evaluated in a simulation evaluation session. Not completing a simulation evaluation session within a 1-year period from completing the online training modules will require the student to retake the entire 8 Functions of Command training modules over again. Once completed, the student will have another 1-year period to
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enter a simulation evaluation session (if still an active subscriber, the dashboard will automatically reset the Function modules). Even if a student has not renewed their training subscription, Blue Card will make a student available in the Dept.’s RMS system to be certified within their 1-year window of completing their online training program. Once certified, all Blue Card CE modules viewed by the student will be credited to them as CE hours and the student can now be added to a Dept. CE Roster using the RMS tools.
IC Recertification After the student has successfully passed the evaluation lab and has obtained their IC certification, their certification will be valid for a 3-year period from the date that the sim evaluation process was completed. At the end of the 3-year certification period, the student must have the following to maintain their Blue Card IC certification for another 3-year certification period: 1. 36 hours of documented CE on the Blue Card RMS system 2. All IC simulation/live event evaluations done for both IC roles for all 5 building types documented on the Blue Card RMS system 3. 90 to 0 days prior to expiration, complete a 5-hour online refresher module on the 8 Functions of Command
4. 90 to 0 days prior to expiration, pass a 40 question multiple choice test on the 8 Functions of Command The student’s dashboard will display their progress in the certification and re-certification process every time they log into the training program.
If a student has the first 2 items completed in the list above, 90 days prior to their expiration date, item #3 - a 5-hour online refresher module on the 8 Functions of Command will become available to the student via their dashboard. Once the student has completed their 5-hour refresher module, a 40 question multiple choice test on the 8 Functions of Command will immediately become available to the student via the dashboard. The
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student will have 3 attempts to pass the 40 question multiple choice test with a minimum score of 70%.
Only after the student has successfully passed the 40 question recertification exam, will they then be “Officially Recertified”. Their IC certification will then be valid for another 3-year period. The student’s dashboard will reset and the same 3-year CE, evaluation, and testing requirements will begin again. The dashboard will also update the IC’s certificate. Instructors and administrators can also print out the IC’s certs directly from the profile page. The RMS system will allow an automatic 30-day extension period to a student’s recertification period for all certified IC’s who are about to expire.
All certified IC’s certification will officially expire if: • They do not have the required CE hours within their recertification period (36 hours in 3 years) • They do not have all of their required IC evaluations completed within their recertification period (10 evals for each Building Type and IC position in 3 years) • They do not complete the 5-hour recertification refresher module within their 90-day window • They do not complete their 40 question recertification test within their 90-day window • They fail their 40 question recertification test after their 3rd attempt If any of the above happens and a student has a current $125.00 renewal in place, in order to recertify, the student must: 1. Complete the entire 8 Functions of Command training modules again 2. Successfully complete a simulation evaluation session
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if the student has a current $125.00 renewal subscription in place, the student’s dashboard will automatically reset the student’s 8 Functions of Command training modules and the dashboard will continue to display the student’s current status in the certification/recertification process. Any student who has been offline (no active subscription) on the system for over a 3-year period will be considered to have their IC certification EXPIRED. Any student/dept. wanting to recertify as an IC after they have been offline for a 3year period will need to: • • •
Purchase a $125.00 1-year renewal Complete the entire 8 Functions of Command training modules over again Successfully complete a simulation evaluation session
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Instructor Re-Certification The following applies to all active Instructors: •
• • • •
• •
• • • • •
•
•
•
Because an Instructor certification is based on a 1-year annual license renewal, your Instructor status will be valid for 1 year, while your 3-year IC certification will remain the same An Instructor’s renewal will be based on how many Blue Card classroom hours are taught To maintain Instructor status, an Instructor must teach at least 12 hours of Command or Tactical classroom training per year using the RMS system to document Blue Card will not hold an Instructor to12 hours of instruction the first time they renew their Instructor license The only way to track the number of training hours each Instructor has delivered is by using the RMS tools Event Manager and the Event Rosters. No other form of documentation will be considered Each Event Roster must have a minimum of 1 Instructor per Event, with a maximum of 3 Instructors per CE Event. Each instructor will receive the total hours set for the CE event A certification session can have up to 10 Instructors added to the event for a total of 72 combined instructor hours to be divided by the participating Instructors (the RMS system enforces the individual Instructor hours possible) Instructors cannot be added to any Event Roster as a Student Instructors cannot obtain CE hours Instructors should view all of the CE modules in order to see what their members are seeing on the online program Instructors ONLY receive recertification hours for teaching scheduled Events using the Event Manager and Event Rosters Any active Instructor who reaches their 3-year IC recertification date with enough instruction hours during the 3-year time frame (24 hours minimum) will be given another 3-year IC certification If an Instructor does not renew their annual Instructor license or falls short of the minimum number of instruction hours their first 2 years, they will fall back into their regular 3-year IC certification date and all of the regular IC certification rules will apply If the above happens, the Instructor will receive credit for all CE modules viewed and all training hours that have been completed or performed during their 3-year IC certification period If the above happens and an Instructor would like to renew their Instructor status, they must attend and successfully complete a simulation evaluation session and pay all applicable Instructor renewal fees
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Managing the Systems Automatically Generated E-Mails The Blue Card RMS system automatically generates certification and recertification emails to all students, instructors, and administrators’ system-wide. These emails will greatly assist both the student and instructors in managing the Blue Card IC certification and recertification process. To manage receiving, or NOT receiving, the automatic emails, please follow the instructions below:
Log into your account at: www.bshifter.com
The system may take you automatically to your “Profile” page. If it does, please stay on the “Profile” page. If not, on your dashboard page, navigate to your “PROFILE” menu link located above your dashboard tiles on the right-hand side of the screen.
Once you’re in your “User Profile” area, you have 3 menu items to choose from: •
Password Management – Where you would change your current password.
•
User Profile – Please update if you have not already done so. If an instructor does not have an updated user profile, every time you log into the system, you will be taken to this menu page until it is updated. It is very important to update this area! Blue Card uses the phone number and address information contained in the instructor profile to contact the instructor, as well as where Blue Card mails IC certs, cards, and any other material requested by the instructor. Email Preferences – This area is where the instructor or administrator will manage all of the automatic emails generated by the RMS system. Overviewed on the next page.
•
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Navigate to the Email Preferences menu link once in the profile area. This will take you to the screen shown to the left. The system automatically has the instructor and/or administrator receiving all automatically generated emails for all of the departments members that they have admin rights for. Click off any (or all) emails that you do NOT want to receive. A checked box indicates that you WILL receive that individual email. PLEASE REMEMBER TO “SAVE CHANGES” BEFORE EXITING!
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Here is a comprehensive list of all of the emails that are generated by the RMS system and who will receive the email(s): Completing the Functions of Command Modules • Student activates license – Instructor Only • Student 30-day warning to complete 8 Function of Command modules- Instructor/Student • Time exceeded – Students 8 Function of Command modules reset - Instructor/Student • When student completes the 8 Function of Command modules – Instructor Only IC Certification Class Registration • Student placed into a roster by an Instructor – Student (date will also show up in the student’s dashboard) • Student 90-day warning to enroll in cert class - Instructor/Student • Student 60-day warning to get certified - Instructor/Student • Student 30-day warning to get certified - Instructor/Student • Student 15-day warning to get certified - Instructor/Student • Time exceeded – Student’s Modules Rest - Instructor/Student • Student has been certified as an IC - Instructor/Student Public Event • Outside IC Certification or CE Class registration - Instructor/Student Continuing Education – Recertification • Instructor notified when a CE module is completed – Instructor Only • Instructor notified when student is 100% compliant for recert – Instructor Only • 90-day early warning recert module avail in 90 days – *Student Compliant - Instructor/Student • 90-day early warning recert module avail in 90 days – **Student Not Compliant - Instructor/Student • Day that recert module is available – *Compliant - Instructor/Student • Day that recert module is available – *Not Compliant* - Instructor/Student • 60 days left to recertify - *Compliant - Instructor/Student • 30 days left to recertify - *Compliant - Instructor/Student • 15 days left to recertify - *Compliant - Instructor/Student • 60 days left to recertify – **Not Compliant - Instructor/Student • 30 days left to recertify – **Not Compliant - Instructor/Student • 15 days left to recertify – **Not Compliant - Instructor/Student • 0 days left - 30-day grace period (to Instructor) – Instructor Only • 30 days’ post expiration date = Student has expired and their 8 Function of Command modules have been reset - Instructor/Student • Instructor notified when student recert module is opened – Instructor Only • Instructor notified when student has recertified – Instructor/Student • Instructor notified if student has failed recert test – Instructor/Student Other Emails sent to students that the Instructor/Administrator WON’T receive: • Student 90-day warning to complete 8 Function of Command modules – Student Only • Student 60-day warning to complete 8 Function of Command modules – Student Only • Student 15-day warning to complete 8 Function of Command modules – Student Only *Compliant equals having 36 CE hours and all 10 IC evaluations completed **Non-Compliant equals NOT having enough CE hours and/or IC evaluations completed
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myDashboard Overview Logging into the training program: Clicking “Log In” at the top of the Bshifter.com home page will take you to the login screen.
After logging in, instructors access all training material, student rosters, and CTC management using “myDashboard”. The dashboard also provides the instructor with up to date status on exactly where they are in the training and instructor re-certification processes. The next pages in the document overview all dashboard possibilities for both students and instructors.
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IC Dashboard Possibilities KEY
Functions of
Functions of
Functions of
Command Available
Command
Command Completed
Schedule IC Cert Class Requires Module Completion
In Progress Must complete by:
Schedule IC
Scheduled IC
Cert Class
Cert Class
Must Complete by:
4-12-15 to 4-15-15
Text Books
Student transcripts
Certified IC Requires Evaluation Session
Certified IC Exp. Date 4-15-16
CE Modules
CE Modules
Available
In progress
Completed Next Available
CE Hours
CE Hours
CE Hours
0
1-35
36+
Simulation
Simulation
Simulation
Re-Cert Evals
Re-Cert Evals
Re-Cert Evals
0
1-10
10+
Re-Cert
Re-Cert
Re-Cert
Module Available
Module In Progress
Module Completed
Re-Cert Test Available
Re-Cert Test In Progress
Re-Cert Test Completed
Re-Cert Module Requires CE and Evals Completed
Re-Cert Test Requires Re-Cert Module Completion
After completing the online training modules, the student has 1 year to attend an IC certification session or their Function modules will reset and they must be recompleted to certify as an IC.
CE Modules
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Always appearing
Student transcripts
First login to core module completion. Functions of Command
Schedule IC
Text Books
Available
Functions of Command
Cert Class Requires Module Completion Completion
Certified IC Requires Evaluation Session
Must Complete by:
Functions of Command Completed
Finished Modules – Student/Instructor needs to schedule and attend an IC evaluation session within 1 year. 4 CE modules become available to the student for the remainder of their 1 year subscription.
Functions of Command Completed CE Modules Available
Schedule IC Text Books
Cert Class Must Complete by:
Scheduled IC
Certified IC Requires Evaluation Session
Cert Class 4-12-13 to 4-15-13
CE Modules In progress CE Modules Completed Next Available
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Certified IC - Finished eval session - **CE hours and re-cert Evals panes don’t appear until after the student is IC certified. Any CE Modules done before being certified now appear as CE hours.
Functions of Command Completed
Certified IC Exp. Date 4-15-2016
Text Books
CE Modules Available CE Modules In progress
CE Hours
Simulation
0
Evals 0
CE Hours
Simulation
1-35
Evals 1-9
CE Modules Completed Next Available
CE Hours
Simulation
36+
Evals 10+
Certified IC with required CE and Evals Completed PRIOR to 90 days before expired - Recert panes will show up but the student does not have access to the recert media until 90 prior to expiration. Functions of Command Completed
Text Books
Certified IC Exp. Date 4-15-2016
CE Modules Available CE Modules In progress CE Modules Completed Next Available
CE Hours
Simulation
36+
Evals 10+
Re-Cert Module Avail 1-15-16
Re-Cert Test Requires Re-Cert Module Completion
47
Certified IC who does not have enough CE hours and/or Evals at 90 days prior to expiring – Can’t open Re-cert module until CE hours and Evals are completed.
Functions of Command Completed
Text Books
Certified IC Exp. Date 4-15-2016
CE Modules Available CE Modules In progress CE Modules Completed Next Available
Re-Cert CE Hours
Simulation
Module
1-35
Evals 1-9
Requires CE and Evals Completed
Re-Cert Test Requires Re-Cert Module Completion
Different tiles through the recertification module and testing process.
Functions of Command Completed
Text Books
Certified IC Exp. Date 4-15-2016
CE Modules Available CE Modules In progress CE Modules Completed Next Available
CE Hours
Simulation
36+
Evals 10+
Re-Cert Module Available Re-Cert Module In Progress Re-Cert Module Complete
Re-Cert Test Requires Re-Cert Module Completion
Re-Cert Test Available Re-Cert Test In Progress Re-Cert Test Completed 48
Certified IC in their 2nd term - 3 year dashboard cycle.
Functions of Command Completed
Text Books
2nd Term
CE Modules
Certified IC
Available
Exp. Date 4-15-2019
CE Hours
Simulation
0
Evals 0
CE Hours
Simulation
1-35
Evals 1-9
CE Modules In progress CE Modules Completed Next Available
CE Hours
Simulation
36+
Evals 10+
Students who completed their core modules but did not attend an IC certification session within 1 year will have their modules reset. A reset student will still have access to their CE’s if they have an active $125.00 subscription.
Functions of Command
Text Books
Schedule IC Cert Class
Certified IC
Available
CE Modules Available CE Modules In progress CE Modules Completed Next Available
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Instructor Dashboard
Functions of Command Completed
Text Books
Certified
CE Modules
Instructor
Available
Date
CE Modules In progress
Instructor
Instructor Hours
0 Instructor Hours
1-11
Instructor
Download
Tools
Center
CE Modules Completed Next Available
Instructor Hours 12+
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Accessing the RMS Instructor Tools This guide will give Blue Card Instructors and Administrators a comprehensive overview of the Instructor RMS and CTC Management tools. These tools allow the Dept/group administrator(s) to accommodate managing the students: • • • • • • •
Subscription status Online module completion progress Online testing progress IC Certification Lab management Event Management Event Rosters 3 year C.E. and Re-Cert process
Each Instructor/Administrator also has all of the CTC tools to manage: ü Control of the individual CTC information page ü Ability to upload and manage the pictures and graphics posted on your site ü Post external training events (Cert Labs, CE sessions, Tactical training, etc.) that Blue Card users outside your department can register for and attend.
Clicking the Admin Center button on your dashboard once you have logged into the training program will take you to the RMS instructor tools home page. Only certified Instructors and approved administrators will have access into the Admin Center.
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Instructor Tools Home Screen – Dept Roster(s) This is the home screen that you will land on when you first arrive to the Admin Center. It will list all the departments that you have admin rights for. Some administrators have access to several department rosters in their area. If you do have access to more than one department, each department roster will be listed in alphabetical order. To get admin rights for a department that you work with, please call the Blue Card home office at: 855-872-3174
Clicking the plus sign will expand the roster showing all student names.
Indicates the number of people assigned to the individual department.
Clicking My Department Roster will take you back to this home page.
The bottom menu bar will navigate you to: Event Roster – when selected, will give the instructor a view of all the department’s scheduled Strategic and Tactical hands on or classroom training sessions. These events are created in the Event Manager. Each event will have its own roster attached that you will populate from your student list. Event Manager – is where the Instructor will create and schedule the classroom and hands on training sessions that support the Command Certification, the Continuing Education, and Recertification processes of the members assigned to your department. These events can also be pushed live to your CTC event list, so members outside of your department can sign up and attend your Cert or CE training sessions. CTC Management – allows each individual department to manage your CTC contact information, the media posted to your site, along with incorporating outside training events that you create and manage with the Event Manager & Roster tools.
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Department Roster Expanded
Clicking the plus sign will expand the roster showing all admin, instructor and student names.
Adams, John
[email protected] m
Once the roster is expanded, the top portion of the list will be populated with all the department’s Instructors. Below the Instructor’s will be a list of all active members. The members will be listed alphabetically by last name.
Brown, James
[email protected]
Chan, Charlie
[email protected]
Presly, Elvis
[email protected]
Smith, John
[email protected]
Instructor Symbol
An Instructor has full access to everything in the RMS system. Instructors are the only people who can complete a student Eval form.
Admin Symbol
An Administrator also has full access to everything in the system, except the student Eval forms. Only an Instructor can complete an Eval form.
This “Arrow” button when clicked will launch the student’s profile, evaluation tab, and the CE / re-certification tab. These will all be looked at later in the overview.
A Student can’t access the Admin area. Student Symbol
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Exporting Student & Department Training Records The Department reporting system make it easy for an instructor or administrator to export the specific training records needed. There are 2 (two) different types of exporting: 1. Exporting and individuals training records 2. Exporting an entire roster training records
Exporting an individual student’s records In a student’s open profile, there are 2 (two) options to export the information you want: 1. 2.
PDF Excel spreadsheet
Clicking on either will navigate you to the 2 (two) options below.
Clicking on “PDF” will export the student’s entire training record into a PDF document.
Clicking on export as an “Excel” spreadsheet will take you to an interface where you can export specific information from the students training records. This feature greatly assists an instructor/administrator in focusing in on the data needed to manage the student’s certification and recertification processes.
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Exporting an entire department’s training records All members on the system can have all, or part, of their training records collectively exported into one (1) single document by clicking on the “Department Reporting” button located on the top of a department roster. When exporting an entire rosters information, the system asks three (3) simple questions when exporting training records: 1. Who on the system are you looking for information on? 2. What specific information do you want to export? 3. What type of format do you want to export the information? The department wide exporting feature will greatly assist an instructor/administrator when managing the recertification process. Clicking on the following export items: • • •
Certified ICs CE Hours IC Evaluations
will export a spreadsheet that can be easily sorted to stack the compliant ICs above the non-compliant ICs. This streamlines the information an instructor needs to get their department ICs recertified. Once you have selected the information needed to export, hit the GO! button on the bottom of the page. Shortly after, an XLS document will pop up on your desktop that contains the information selected.
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Student Tracking in a Dept. Roster The Department Roster offers an Instructor/Administrator the ability to quickly view the status of all students in the training system. It will highlight the major items that most viewers want to see quickly. For more detailed information on each student, click anywhere on the student graphic and it will take you to the student’s profile page, where there is much more detailed student information (later in this overview).
0%
A completely blank tab represents an activated student that has not logged into the program.
Yellow indicates a module that has been started but is not yet been completed.
Once all modules are completed, the graphic will turn solid blue with the text; “Blue Card eLearning Complete”. The student’s evaluation tab will open up (later in the overview) and they are now eligible to enter into the 24 hour simulation evaluation lab. The student’s CE modules will also be available for student access. A student does not need to be certified to have access their CE modules.
This graphic shows the student’s cumulative on-line testing scores. The student must have a minimum cumulative test score of 70% or higher to achieve their on-line module completion certificate. More on the online testing process on the next page. 56
Student Tracking in a Dept. Roster Cont’
This graphic gets a green check and lights up after the evaluating Instructor completes the online student simulation evaluation forms in the RMS system (later in this overview). Certifying the student with the online tools will also send a notification to the Blue Card office that the student has been certified. The office staff will then generate a Certificate of Completion and the student’s official Blue Card IC identification card. The date that the student was certified will set their 3 year re-certification date.
Once the student is certified, the display text will show how long their IC certification is valid for. A students IC certification is good for three (3) years from the last day of the IC certification session. Their annual subscription is good for one (1) year.
Subscription Status Next to every student there is a subscription status meter. Departments that have purchased annual subscription “Bundling” should have all students and instructors showing the same expiration date.
A green check indicates a current subscription.
A yellow exclamation symbol indicates a subscription within 90 days of expiring.
A red exclamation symbol indicates a subscription that has expired. An Instructor has no access to an expired student. 57
This icon indicates that the student’s 8 functions of command training modules have been reset due to; the student not finishing their modules within 1 year from starting them, or the student has not entered into a sim evaluation session within 1 year from completing their modules.
This icon represents a certified IC who is in their 1st certification period in good standing.
This icon represents a certified IC who is within 90 days of their certification expiring.
This icon represents a certified IC who has had their certification expire. Note the card is grayed out
This icon represents a certified IC who is in their 2nd certification period in good standing.
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Student CE Tracking in a Dept. Roster The CE Modules open up for the student as soon as they successfully complete their online training modules. No CE hours will be tallied for the student until they are certified as an IC. Once certified, all hours will appear. An IC certification is good for a three (3) year period from the date the student is certified. In order to re-certify at the end of the three (3) year certification period, the certified IC must have at least 36 continuing education (CE) hours and a second set of IC check offs performed prior to qualifying for re-certification. Departments have two (2) options on managing their Blue Card IC - CE and re-certification process: #1 - $27.00 annual RMS renewal fee (per student). The RMS only renewal option allows a department to maintain all administration rights in the system and all access to all department students. This option requires the department to schedule and provide the CE training hours by using the RMS system to document their training. Blue Card will provide 100% support to departments that choose this option. Students however, will not have any online access with this option. The department must deliver all CE using the RMS system in order to re-certify their members. #2 - $125.00 annual CE and RMS renewal fee (per student). This option allows students to have continued full access to the all online training CE modules. This option will give the student more than enough CE hours to recertify at the end of three (3) years. The department will still be required to deliver their second set of hands on sim lab evaluations prior to re-certification. Blue Card will not support the re-certification of any IC who is not currently using either option 1 or 2. Blue Card will also NOT process or integrate any other training records or tracking systems into the Blue Card RMS system. You must be using our system in order for us to support the Blue Card re-certification process.
Once certified, all CE’s performed will be tallied and tracked in this area of the status panel. The hours
shown are a combination of Blue Card CE modules and any CE Events the Instructor has delivered using the Event Manager tools. This student has gained 12 hours of CE by attending department scheduled CE classes, but they have not completed any online CE modules.
When a student completes an online CE module, they will be displayed in this area, in the order they were completed. In this example, the first CE to be completed was CE #3, with the subsequent CE stacked behind the first. The roster will display the last five (5) CE modules completed. To view the student’s entire CE record, go to their student profile page by clicking anywhere on the individual student graphic. 59 The student profile page is shown next.
Student Profile Page The student profile page contains detailed Blue Card training information for all training done on the system. The profile consists of a series of expandable menus that display the following information: • • • • • •
Student Info (email the student from the profile, edit and password reset) Blue Card Module tracking Blue Card CE Module tracking CE Events attended that are performed by department Instructors Certification status IC performance assessments (Sim Evals)
Each of the items will be looked at in detail in the next few pages.
Clicking the “Arrow” button will launch the student’s profile and their CE / re-certification tab. These will all be looked at later in the overview.
Smith, John
[email protected]
Smith, John
[email protected]
Clicking the “Plus” button will open each individual training category that the RMS system tracks. Each of these areas will be looked at next in the overview.
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User Profile – Student Info & Exporting Training Record
Smith, John
[email protected]
Clicking “Edit Profile” will take you to the screen below. You cannot change a student’s name or email address.
Clicking “Reset Password” will take you to this prompt:
Each individual student can have their entire training record exported individually. The exported info includes: • All training modules access • Time in each module • Any cognitive testing scores • Simulation pass/fails
Smith, John
[email protected]
Exporting PDF
Exporting Excel
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User Profile – Blue Card Module and CE Status Blue Card Module tracking – This section of the user profile will show all started and completed Blue Card Command Function modules. The system will give detailed information on: • • •
Progress and completion status Time in lesson Cognitive quiz scores
For modules that have not been completed, the system will show their progress in the current module.
Blue Card CE Module tracking – This section of the user profile will show all started and completed Blue Card CE modules. Only completed CE modules will show up in the department roster section. The CE tracking system will give the same detailed information as the Command modules.
Department Events – This section of the user profile will show all of the department CE events that have been attended by the student. These are Events are created and managed using the Event Manager and Event roster sections of the RMS system.
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User Profile – Certification and Licensing Information Certification status – This are shows the student’s IC certification and re-certification dates along with CE hour status.
Student license information – This section shows all of the Blue Card online training modules that the student has activated or has access to. These items are displayed with the same color code as the expiration meters in the department roster section.
User Profile – Simulation Evaluation Information
The IC Performance Assessments will display all of the student’s simulation evaluations. To view an individual IC evaluation. Click on the tabs below. Bottom Menu Bar
Clicking on “My Department Roster” will take you back to your opened dept. roster.
Once the student has been certified as a Blue Card IC, their Recert Evaluation tab will become available to the Instructor. This is where their 3 year simulation evaluation process is documented. Once certified, Instructors can either use this area to fill out a simulation eval, or they can use an Event Roster to fill out a simulation eval (covered later in the overview). 63
Event Manager – Certifying an IC or HAZMAT IC Closing and finalizing an IC or HAZMAT IC certification class roster is the only way to initially certify a Blue Card IC or HAZMAT IC. Certified instructors MUST use the RMS tools to manage your students: • • •
Initial IC certification CE process 3-year IC recertification process
Blue Card cannot validate any training that is not documented in the RMS system. Blue Card will NOT do data entry into the RMS system for any individual fire department. Once the last scheduled date of the class has occurred, the Event can be closed and finalized. Closing and finalizing an IC cert roster will notify the Blue Staff that IC’s have just been certified. Once notified, the Blue Card staff will send out the IC’s certificate and the IC’s official Blue Card to the agency who certified the students. The last scheduled date of the IC cert Event will be the first day of the IC’s 3-year certification period (even if the roster is finalized several days after the Event has occurred). The next section of the document demonstrates the process used to manage Events, IC evaluate and finalize an IC certification session.
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Event Manager
If you have access to more than one CTC, you can zero down to that individual CTC’s events. Now Events are filtered by either: • • •
Closed Open Archived
Clicking on the Event Manager Tab at the bottom of your Dept rosters will launch the Event Manager interface.
You can sort Events by: • • • •
IC certification Hazmat certification Continuing Education All
Now just one (1) button – No more “Event Rosters”
“Add Event” button
65
Events are stacked by date – there are quick reference banners on all event statuses.
Next page
All Events in the Event Manager will display a “STATUS” banner for each Event. Some events can have two or more banners. Below are the different types of statuses that can be displayed:
Roster is 100% Compliant Student Reset Risk Event Closed – Certifications Pending Event Closed – Certifications Sent
66
Adding and Managing Events Clicking the “Add Event” button located on the right side of the upper menu bar will take you to the below interface:
The Event Details must be filled out and saved before any other Event options become available! 67
Event Title: Input an appropriate title for the Event. If the Event is going to be made “Public” on the Bshifter web site, a detailed title will help more people navigate to it.
CTC Location: If you have been granted access to two (2) or more CTC locations, select the CTC location where the Event will be held. Once selected, the address will auto fill.
Event Description: The description of the Event should be very basic (but organized) UNLESS the Event is going to be made “Public” (below) on the Bshifter web site. When made “Public”, a detailed event description will help people to determine if the class is right for them. Event Type: In the pull-down menu, the type of the Event must be selected prior to saving. The three (3) event types to save are: • • •
IC Certification Hazmat Certification Continuing Education Course Event Hours
• • •
IC Certification – the class will automatically be assigned 24 hours Hazmat Certification – the class will automatically be assigned 8 hours Continuing Education Course – the class duration must be selected using the pulldown menu. Up to 36 hours can be selected for a CE event
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Event Visibility: If “Private Internal” is selected, the Event can only be viewed in your admin section. Only the instructors/administrators in your area have access to the Event. If “Public External” is selected, the Event will be displayed on the B-Shifter web site “CTC and Event Locator”. The Event will be displayed on your individual CTC web site page, it will also be on the list of “ALL CTC Events” that have been designated external by a CTC. When the Event is highlighted as external, any student (depending on class type) can register for the Event outside of your department(s). This allows instructors to have access to the Student’s RMS records. Event Dates: Event dates must be entered to save the event. An IC certification will automatically be given a 3day time span once the start date has been selected. An IC certification must be a minimum of 3 days in length, to a maximum of 90 days in length. Seats Available: Enter the number of seats available for the class. The maximum seat count for an IC or HAZMAT IC certification session is 12 people.
Seat Cost: If you are charging the registrants a fee for a class that will be displayed on the B-Shifter CTC web page, here is where the amount will be inserted. Blue Card does not set pricing or collect money for any CTC on the system.
Saving the Event: The Event Details must be filled out and saved before any other Event options become available! After the Event has been saved the first time, the “Delete Event” button will become available.
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Event Manager Panel Options
Once the details of the Event have been completed and SAVED, the Instructor and Student options will become available.
Once the first Student(s) have been added to the Event, the Eval Roster option will become available.
On the end date of the Event, the Close/Finalize option will become available.
Once the Event has been Close/Finalized, the Cert/Cards option will become available.
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Adding Instructors to an Event The Instructor option area will automatically default to the department the instructor/admin are logged in for. If the instructor has access to multiple departments, use the pulldown menu to select the desired department.
Clicking on an available instructor once will add them to the “Assigned Instructor” list.
Clicking on the trash can next to an “Assigned Instructor” will deleted them off the list.
All changes made to the Instructor area are “LIVE” and will automatically be saved. Whatever is adjusted on the screen before exiting, will be seen when navigating back to the Instructor area.
Instructor - Event Enforcement • • •
Up to 16 instructors can be assigned to an IC Cert Event Up to 3 instructors can be assigned to a CE Event Up to 3 instructors can be assigned to a HAZMAT IC Cert Event
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Adding Students to an Event The Student area will automatically default to the department the instructor/admin are logged in for. If the instructor has access to multiple departments, use the pulldown menu to select the desired department.
Clicking on an “Available Student” once will add them to the “Assigned Students” list.
Clicking on the trash can next to an “Assigned Student” will deleted them off the list.
All changes made to the Student area are “LIVE” and will automatically be saved. Whatever is adjusted on the screen before exiting, will be seen when navigating back to the Student area.
Student - Event Enforcement IC Cert Event • • • •
Up to 12 students can be assigned to an IC Cert Event A student can be added to an IC Cert roster as soon as they are activated on the system (without completion of the Command Function Modules) Students who have not completed their Command Function Modules before the start date of the class, will automatically be removed from the roster the first day of class A student who will reset before the class end date (because they have not been certified within 1 year of online completion) cannot be added to a roster unless the dates of the class are changed, or the student can be added after they have been reset
HAZMAT IC Cert event • •
Only certified ICs can be added to a HAZMAT IC Cert Event Up to 12 students can be assigned to a HAZMAT IC Cert Event
Continuing Education (CE) • •
An unlimited number of students can be assigned to a CE Event Only certified ICs with active subscriptions can be added to a CE Event*
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*A CE Event cannot be closed with a student who has an expired subscription or has not
Managing Outside Student Registrations In the Students area of the Event Manager, the status of the student will be displayed to the right of each student.
When an instructor/admin adds a student to the roster, their status will always show GREEN (“Confirmed”).
When an Event is made “Public” when it is created, students outside of your department can register for the Event. When an outside student has registered for the Event, it will place the banner below on the Event ribbon. The department instructor will also receive an email notifying them of an outside registration that requires the instructor to take some sort of action with the student.
Navigate to the student in the “Added Student” area of the Event. Click on the enrollment button with the exclamation mark to edit the student’s registration. Once opened, click on the “Action Required” pulldown menu, select the appropriate option and then click on the SAVE button. Clicking “Confirmed” and “SAVE” will change the student’s status to a green check.
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Possible Event Banners – PRIOR to an Event start date
All Events will display a status banner for the students and instructors of some kind. Prior to an IC Cert Roster is 100% Compliant
Event start date, the 5 status banners to the left can possibly be displayed in an IC cert Event ribbon.
Evaluation Rosters Using the Eval Rosters is a quick and easy way to track the individual student statuses for departments that have several members on the system. Instead of tracking 50 or more students in the Department Roster section, now you can track smaller groups of up to 12 people in the order they are going to be certified. The student’s progress in the Event Roster is displayed the same way it is displayed in the Department Roster section, and each Student’s transcript can be accessed from the Event Roster section.
Clicking directly on the Student Transcripts button will open another browser window directly into the student’s profile.
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Eval Roster - Student Banners – Prior to the Event Starting Each student in a roster will have a banner in their info ribbon that indicates their status for the upcoming event. The possible banners for each Event type are shown below:
IC Cert Roster
CE Roster
HAZMAT Cert Roster
Subscription Expired
HAZMAT Modules Not Complete
Non-Compliant students removed on Event start date
Students who have NOT completed all their Command Function or HAZMAT modules prior to the first day of the certification class starting (0600 Phx, AZ time) will automatically be removed from the roster. Instructors/Admin will get warning emails: • • •
7 days prior to the Event start date 2 days prior to the Event start date The first day of the event notifying the instructor/admin of any students removed from the roster
IC’s placed on a CE roster whose subscription has expired or IC’s who have expired as an IC (did not recertify) prior to the Event, must be removed (or renewed) from the roster in order to close out the Event.
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Possible Event Banners – After an Event start date On the first scheduled day of an Event, the student’s IC evaluations will become available. On the last day of the Event – AFTER 1700 hrs. PHX, AZ TIME – the Event will be able to be closed if it is compliant (IC & HAZMAT Cert Events – All Evals must be completed in order to close).
IC Evals become available the first day of an Event On the first scheduled day of an IC or HAZMAT Cert Event, the student’s IC evaluations will become available. Opening the Event and then clicking anywhere on a student’s ribbon (minus the transcript button) will take you to the student’s IC eval grid.
Possible student ribbon banners – after an Event start date
IC or HAZMAT Cert Event Evaluations Not Started Evaluations in Progress Evaluations Completed IC - CE Event
On the first scheduled day of an Event, the student’s IC evaluations will become available. When opening an Event Roster, all of the student ribbons will display their current status as they relate to the instructor’s ability to close and finalize the Event. Students who have NOT completed all of their Command Function or HAZMAT modules prior to the first day of the certification class starting (0600 Phx, AZ time) will automatically be removed from the roster. IC’s placed on a CE roster whose subscription has expired or who have expired as an IC (did not recertify) prior to the Event starting must be removed from the roster in order to close out the Event. 76
IC Cert Event - Student Status - Reset Risk
A student who will reset before the last day of an IC Cert Event CANNOT be added to an IC Cert Event roster (if the Event ends past their 1-year window to get evaluated after completing the online training program). Trying to add a student who will reset before the Event end date, will bring up the window below. The instructor has two (2) options: • •
Readjust the Event dates to an earlier time where the student will not reset Let the student reset, then add them to the Event roster
Evaluations Not Started
Evaluations Not Started
On the first scheduled day of an IC Cert Event, the ‘Student Reset Risk!” banner will appear in a student ribbon FOR ANY STUDENT WHO WILL BE RESET IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS!
Close/Finalize an Event - Automated Email System Instructors will receive a series of emails (if needed) reminding them to close and finalize Events that are past their scheduled end date. IC Cert Events should be closed and finalized as soon as possible after the Event in order to avoid having students reset after the end date of the Event. The instructors who are on the Event roster will receive the following reminder emails until the Event is closed and finalized. • • • •
First day after the end date of Event 7 days past the end date 14 days past the end date Every 7 days thereafter until the Event is closed 77
Student Evaluation Matrix
In an open Eval Roster for an Event, clicking anywhere on a student’s ribbon (minus the transcript button) will take you to the student’s IC eval matrix. A students/IC evals will become available the first day of the Event.
Once in the student’s evaluation matrix, there are now two (2) options available to evaluate a student’s performance in their required ten (10) IC evals – “Detailed” or “Mastered”.
The IC evaluation enforcement rules along with using each evaluation form type will be covered in the next few pages of the manual. 78
Managing Student Evaluations Only a certified/active instructor can open a simulation evaluation form. An instructor must open and complete an eval form for each of the 10 evaluated IC positions for each student. If a student is marked “NO” in any category, the simulation eval form will be marked as a “FAIL”. Any “NO” marks should be documented in the show comment text boxes.
Using the “Detailed” View of the Eval Form The “Detailed” view of the of the eval form should be used when a student fails an evaluation. When using the “Detailed” view, an instructor can access the comment fields on the eval form, where the instructor will document the specifics of why the student failed.
For simulation training, the form will automatically fill in the IC role. Using the “Pass All” button will highlight all buttons in the “Yes” (Pass) category and will automatically display the Eval completion menu.
After an IC is certified, an “Actual Event” can be used to evaluate either IC #1 or IC #2. These evals count towards the student’s recertification. When doing an evaluation for an actual event, enter a proper event description in the field provided.
A selected “Yes or No” will turn blue.
Any “NO” selection will cause a failure for the entire evaluation.
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“Detailed” View – Documenting a Student Fail
Show Comment Box This should be used when failing a student for any simulation. These comments become a permanent part of the student’s training record and they provide the instructor the necessary documentation for a failed simulation.
Saving a “Detailed” View Eval form
Once all evaluation fields have been highlighted, scroll down to the bottom of the form and save the document (or use the ‘Pass All” button). Here are your options:
• • •
“Save & Return to Student’s Evals” will return you to the student’s evaluation tab “Save & Return to Roster” will take you back to the department or the Event Roster you were using “Cancel” will return you to the student’s evaluation tab and the evaluation form will get a: “Needs Attention” symbol
Once either one of the “Save” buttons are clicked the graphic below will appear asking the instructor to complete the evaluation form. “Complete Form” will “Fail” the student. “Keep Form Open” will give the evaluation form the graphic on the sim grid keeping the eval open (next pages).
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Completing an Eval form using “Mastered”
The “Mastered” eval button provides a time saving shortcut to completing a student’s eval forms. Clicking on the “Mastered” button for a simulation/event category will take you to the window below.
Clicking the “OK” button will bring you back to the student’s evaluation matrix while marking the student as passed for that eval. It should take less than 60 seconds to complete all 10 of the student’s evals using the “Mastered” eval option.
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Individual Evaluation Statuses The green check symbol displays that the student has passed the evaluation for that position and building type.
The yellow exclamation symbol displays an “Open” evaluation form that needs some sort of attention to complete. Clicking directly on the “!” graphic, will open up an “Opened” evaluation form.
The red minus symbol displays a failed evaluation for that position and building type. Another simulation eval must be performed and passed for that position in order for the student to pass and be certified.
All Evaluations Completed
This student has performed and has passed all of their necessary simulation evaluations. The student can now be certified as an IC. This is done by closing and finalizing the Event Roster.
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Closing and Finalizing an Event
After 12:00 PM – Phx, AZ time – on the last day of the Event, the “Close/Finalize” option will become available. Clicking on it will open the window to the right.
Assigning Instructor hours
Instructor Hours - Event Enforcement IC Certification • Up to 12 instructors can be assigned to the Event • 72 total Instructor hours can be assigned for the Event • No Instructor on the roster can receive more than 24 hours for the Event • If miscalculated, the interface will enforce and provide a reminder HAZMAT Certification • Up to 3 instructors can be assigned to the Event • 24 total Instructor hours can be assigned for the Event • No Instructor on the roster can receive more than 8 hours for the Event • If miscalculated, the interface will enforce and provide a reminder Continuing Education (CE) • Up to 3 instructors can be assigned to the Event • Instructor hours will be based on the hour(s) selected for the Event • The total available instructor hours for the Event will be X’s (times) the selected class length by 3 (4-hour class = 12 instructor hours available) • No Instructor on the roster can receive more than a third of the total instructor hours that are available for the Event • If miscalculated, the interface will enforce and provide a reminder
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Closing and Finalizing an IC or HAZMAT Cert Event The “Close/Finalize” window of an IC or HAZMAT IC Cert Event will display the status of all the students on the roster. If not all the students are compliant (Evaluations Completed) either navigate back to the Eval Roster and complete the student(s) evals or use the trash can next to their name to remove the student(s) from the roster. Even a student who you are going to fail needs to have their evals completed, documenting their “non-passes”. If all students are compliant with all evals completed, select “Certify” or “Don’t Certify” for each student. The Event cannot be closed unless all student evals are completed for the Event.
Evaluations Not Started Evaluations in Progress Evaluations Completed
Closing and Finalizing a CE Event The “Close/Finalize” window of a CE Event will display the status of all the students on the roster.
Instructor options with student statuses in a CE Event: Eligible for CE credit • Student is compliant • Select the correct attendee credit button: “Attended” or “Did Not Attend” IC Certification Expired • The student cannot receive CE credit and must be removed from the roster to close/finalize the Event Blue Card Subscription Expired • Renew the student prior to closing the Event so they receive credit for the Event • Remove the student from the Event • The Event cannot be closed with an expired student on the roster 84
Closing and Finalizing Events After all instructor hours have been assigned and all student and/or ICs statuses have been selected for the Event, click on the “Save & Close Event” button located on the bottom of the window.
Once an Event has been “Close/Finalize” it will show up in the “Closed” – “Event Status” Tab.
A “Closed” Event ribbon will display one of two banners: • Event Closed – Certifications Pending • Event Closed – Certifications Sent
Once the Event has been Closed & Finalized, the Cert/Cards Tab will appear on the Event menu bar. Clicking on the Certs/Cards button will take you to the below window. The top “Status” panel will display the status of the Certs and Cards being printed and shipped. The address where the credentials will be sent can be changed in the interface below. Credentials will automatically be sent to the CTC manager for the department hosting the Event.
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Archiving a Closed Event
After the Blue Card office staff have mailed the certification package, the Event will be marked as closed. Once marked “Closed” on the Blue Card side, the “Archive” tab will become available and the Event banner will turn blue indicating that certs have been sent.
Clicking on the Archive tab will open the Archive window.
Checking the Archive button will place the Event in the Archived Event Status area.
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HAZMAT IC Training & Certification Overview The current Blue Card HAZMAT IC Certification package includes: • • •
5 Online training modules Instructor curriculum package HAZMAT IC evaluation records management system
HAZMAT COMMAND IC CERTIFICATION IS NOW AVAILABLE SYSTEM WIDE TO:
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Certified IC’s in their first-year subscription
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Renewed Certified ICs using the $125 renewal option
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All active instructors
HAZMAT IC certification enforcement rules v Must be certified as an IC before getting access to the HAZMAT training material v Being certified as an IC will automatically give the student access to the HAZMAT training modules v After an ICs first year subscription has expired, they must renew with $125.00 CE renewal option in order to have access to any HAZMAT training material v ICs who are certified as a HAZMAT IC before their first-year subscription expires, can renew with the $27.00 renewal option and they will still be able to maintain both certifications v Five (5) - HAZMAT training modules must be completed before an IC qualifies to enter a HAZMAT IC certification session. The HAZMAT Command Function module and four (4) HAZMAT scenario modules selected by the instructor v The HAZMAT IC evaluations will not become available until the student has completed their 5 HAZMAT online training modules v A student has one (1) year from the time they start the HAZMAT Command module to finish all five (5) of the required online training modules to qualify to enter into an evaluation session v If the five (5) online modules are NOT completed within one (1) year, all completed HAZMAT material will reset and the student must complete the modules again in order to qualify to be evaluated v After successfully completing the required HAZMAT online training modules, the student will have one (1) year to enter a HAZMAT IC evaluation session v If not evaluated within one (1) year of completing the online modules, all HAZMAT material will reset, and the student must complete the 5 modules again to qualify to be evaluated v To be certified as a HAZMAT IC, the student must pass four (4) HAZMAT IC evaluations. Two (2) as IC #1 and two (2) as IC #2. v Once certified, the HAZMAT IC certification is valid for three (3) years v A HAZMAT IC MUST maintain their Blue Card IC certification to re-certify as a HAZMAT IC v To re-certify as a HAZMAT IC, the student must take a HAZMAT refresher module and pass a cognitive test of 25 questions within 90 days of their HAZMAT certification expiring v The same Blue Card IC certification email system will be implemented for the HAZMAT IC certification and re-certification process v ALL HAZMAT TRAINING HOURS WILL COUNT TOWARDS AN IC’S CE HOURS *Note, a Blue Card HAZMAT IC certification DOES NOT replace any other HAZMAT certification(s) required on a HAZMAT incident. 87
HAZMAT Instructor Tools – Records Management System The last Event Manager upgrades were designed to accommodate and track all Blue Card Events. The features designed specifically for HAZMAT student tracking in the Event Manager are highlighted below.
When selecting an Event as a HAZMAT IC certification session, the system will automatically make the class 8 hours in duration, with a total of 24 Instructor hours available. ICs will also get 8 hours of CE credit when closed and finalized.
Roster is 100% Compliant
A student ribbon in a HAZMAT IC certification will display:
Once the Event has been created and populated with Instructors and ICs, the following Event ribbon banners can be displayed. HAZMAT Modules Not Complete
Students who have NOT completed all their HAZMAT modules prior to the first day of the certification class starting (0600 Phx, AZ time) will automatically be removed from the roster. Instructors/Admin will get warning emails: • • •
7 days prior to the Event start date 2 days prior to the Event start date The first day of the event notifying the instructor/admin of any students removed from the roster
IC’s placed on a HAZMAT roster whose subscription has expired or IC’s who have expired as an IC (did not recertify) prior to the Event, must be removed (or renewed) from the roster in order to close out the Event.
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Clicking on an IC ribbon in the Event Roster will take you to their HAZMAT IC evaluation grid. To be certified as a HAZMAT IC, the student must pass four (4) HAZMAT IC evaluations. Two (2) as IC #1 and two (2) as IC #2. The evaluation form for a HAZMAT incident is the same for regular, Blue Card IC structural incident. Once certified as a HAZMAT IC, a HAZMAT category will open up in the IC’s recertification evaluations in their student profile.
Because all completed HAZMAT curriculum counts towards an IC’s Continuing Education (CE) hours, all HAZMAT curriculum completed, and in progress, can be viewed in the IC’s profile RMS. Completed HAZMAT modules can be viewed in the Blue CE module tab. Completed HAZMAT IC evaluation can be viewed under the IC Performance Assessment tab.
Once certified as a HAZMAT IC, the fire diamond graphic will be added to the IC’s profile ribbon. Blue Card will not send out a separate HAZMAT ID card or certificate for the certification. An IC’s HAZMAT IC certificate can be printed from their dashboard or inside of their student profile. A HAZMAT IC credential will be indicated on the IC’s reissued Blue Card when recertifying as an IC.
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Delivering a HAZMAT IC Evaluation Session Instructor Requirements to deliver a HAZMAT evaluation session Instructors DO NOT have to go through any special training in order to deliver a HAZMAT IC cert session. The core competencies used in managing any type of local event are the Blue Card structural fire management skillset. Instructors SHOULD do the following prior to certifying a HAZMAT IC: • • •
Read all new HAZMAT SOPs Complete all HAZMAT online training modules Read all HAZMAT PowerPoint and Simulation Instructor Guides prior to delivering any certification session General HAZMAT IC sim session overview
• • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •
A HAZMAT IC Certification will be directly tied to an IC’s Blue Card IC certification. If an IC’s Blue Card certification expires, so will their HAZMAT IC certification Simulation session should be 8 hours in duration 1 to 4 Instructor/Student ratio Class starts with the HAZMAT Command Functions Overview PP (1+ hour) The current Command Functions PP Overview is very detailed. Blue Card highly suggests that the presentation is streamline and customized to your response area. Especial items that concern the way you request and dispatch HAZMAT Techs and Teams Once the Command Function overview is presented, move onto the scenario overview and simulation preloads PowerPoints that focus on the specific hazardous materials properties involved Perform HAZMAT simulations related to the PowerPoint overview and pre-load Once the simulation has been completed, repeat the process a second time using a different hazardous material scenario The IC must be evaluated in 2 HAZMAT scenario sim types acting as IC #1 & IC #2 (4 total evals) to become a HAZMAT certified IC Most HAZMAT sims can be performed by using just 4-5 students. This makes it ideal to split a group of 8-10 people into smaller groups to get through the evaluations faster using two Instructors Closing out a HAZMAT Event Roster will certify the HAZMAT IC Blue Card will not send out a certification or new IC card for newly certified HAZMAT ICs The HAZMAT ICs certification certificate will be available from the students HAZMAT dashboard tile Instructors can access all of the student’s certificates from their profile page When re-certifying a Blue Card IC, if that IC has their HAZMAT IC credential, Blue Card will indicate their HAZMAT credential on their re-issued Blue Card IC card and certificate
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IC Re-Certification Process The Blue Card IC Standard calls for 12 hours of continuing education a year [36 total CE hours in order to recertify at the end of the 3 year IC certification period] along with being evaluated in each of the Command positions for each of the 5 standard building types at least once in the 3 year certification period. Once a student has been certified as an IC, their Cont. Education tab will be available in their Student Profile area. The RMS system will help an Instructor or administrator track: ü ü ü ü
The total number of CE hours for the 3 year period Blue Card CE module progress Strategic and Tactical CE Events attended (created in the Event Manager) Simulation evaluation and tracking grid (using the re-cert tab in the student profile or a Mini Roster in the Event Roster section)
View of a certified IC in a Department Roster
The Blue Card with a green check indicates a certified IC.
Completed Blue Card CE modules. The system will show the last 5 CE modules completed. The newest completed module will be shown last.
3 year IC cert expiration date.
1 year subscription status.
This hour reading combines all Blue Card CE modules with all of the departments CE Event hours that have been attended over the certified IC’s 3 year certification period.
Clicking on the arrow will open up the Student Profile area where the administrator can get a much more detailed view of the student’s entire training record (more on the next page).
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IC Re-Certification – Student Profile - Tracking IC’s CE hours The Student Profile area will give Instructors and Administrators a much more detailed view of the student’s entire continuing education training records. Clicking into the Student Profile will give you access to:
Blue Card CE Module tracking – This section of the user profile will show all started and completed Blue Card CE modules. Only completed CE modules will show up in the department roster section. The CE tracking system will give the same detailed information as the Command modules.
Department Events – This section of the user profile will show all of the department CE events that have been attended by the student. These are Events are created and managed using the Event Manager and Event roster sections of the RMS system.
Smith, John
[email protected]
Once an IC has been certified, their “Recert Evaluations” tab will become available in the Student Profile area. Instructors can either complete an electronic simulation eval form for a certified IC directly from their student profile page, or they can use a CE Event Roster “Mini Roster” to perform a simulation evaluation.
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IC Re-Certification cont’ – IC Simulation Evals A certified IC’s re-certification simulation grid can be accessed in either their Student Profile or in an Event Mini Roster. Before a certified IC’s 3 year certification expires, they must be evaluated in all ten (10) IC positions before they can be recertified as an IC.
If the certified IC has: Over 36 hours of CE All simulation evaluations complete 90 days before their certification expires, the “Recertify Student” button will open up. The student will retain the same certification date as long they certify before their 3 year deadline. The maximum time a student can let their IC certification expire is 30 days. After being expired over 30 days, the student will need to go through the entire training program again in order to recertify (online program and a sim lab). The Blue Card office will receive a notification when an IC has been recertified and will send out the IC’s updated certificate and Blue Card to the agency that recertified the student(s). 93
Using Sets & Reps for IC Recertification Evals For IC Re-certifications, Instructors can use the Sets & Reps simulation format to check off ICs on their IC Re-certification evaluations. Departments are making CE events where they check off groups of 4 to 8 IC’s during an 8-hour period using just the Sets & Reps delivery format. The benefit of making it a CE event, is that each student gets 8 CE hours for the session as well as all of their IC eval checkoffs. Sets & Reps should be performed with no more than a 4 to 1 student to instructor ratio. A 3 to 1 student to instructor ratio works the best for the format. Sets & Reps is also the best format to get certified ICs who have not simulated recently back up to speed quickly. The first building type session (Commercial) will take the longest. With 4 people, the session should last about 90 minutes. After the first session, the next 4 sessions should all take less than an hour each. With 2 instructors, you can easily check-off 8 ICs in less than 8 hours (includes lunch and breaks). All 5 building types are now available in the Sets & Reps format in the instructors download center
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Managing Certified ICs Recertification Evals The only way to access a student’s evals before they are certified as an IC is from an Evaluation Roster. After a student has been certified as an IC, an instructor can access a student’s recertification evals in the IC’s PROFILE in a department roster, or in an Evaluation Roster for a CE class using the Event Manager and Event Rosters. Using an Event Roster is the preferred way to access an eval form because: v It makes it easy for the instructor to access the eval forms for an entire group v The student gets credit for the event v The student gets CE hours for the event v The instructor(s) get credit and teaching hours for the event when closing and finalizing the class The Recert Evaluation tab, located in the student profile area, is the best way for an instructor to access an eval for a live event.
Tracking Evals from a Student’s Profile Page
The student’s completed performance assessments, located in their profile page, has been re-skinned. Now when opening the tab, there is a menu tree that allows the instructor to see the student’s evals for the following time periods: v Original IC certification evals v 1st term IC re-certification evals v 2nd term IC re-certification evals, and so on This format allows the instructor to view only the current re-certification evals that are now separated from all previous certification periods. 95
CE Module Delivery System Blue Card provides 2 Continuing Education (CE) Modules with the first (1) year online subscription. Once a student has completed their 8 Functions of Command online training modules, there will be two (2) CE modules that are immediately available to the student for the remainder of their first one (1) year subscription. If a student does not renew their subscription at the end of their 365 day subscription period, they will have NO more access to any on-line training material, even if they did not complete all of their available CE modules. A student who has renewed their subscription with the $125.00 option, will receive access to all CE modules available on the system. All viewed CE modules will reset after an IC recertifies at the end of their 3-year certification period. The following are the CE modules that are currently available on the system:
CE #1 – Communications Review: This 8 hour module is the same module as the Function #5 Communications module in the 8 standard command functions that the student just completed. This module should be reviewed by students prior to entering a 3 day IC cert lab when there will be an extended prior of time from completing the online training to entering an IC cert lab.
CE #2 – Multi-Unit Residential: This 4 hour training module focuses on the general critical factors found in multi-unit residential occupancies (apartments) and the corresponding strategies and tactics needed when dealing with these types of structures.
CE #3 – Residential Part 1: This 4 hour training module focuses on the general critical factors found in older, conventionally built residential occupancies and the corresponding strategies and tactics needed when dealing with these types of older structures.
CE #4 – Residential Part 2: This 4 hour training module focuses on the general critical factors found in newer, lightweight constructed residential occupancies and the corresponding strategies and tactics needed when dealing with these types of newer constructed homes.
CE #5 – Strip Malls: This 4 hour training module focuses on the general critical factors found in strip mall occupancies and the corresponding strategies and tactics needed when dealing with these types of structures.
CE #6 – Commercial: This 4 hour training module focuses on the general critical factors found in commercial occupancies and the corresponding strategies and tactics needed when dealing with these types of structures.
CE #7 – Big Box Part 1: This 4 hour training module focuses on the general critical factors found in Big Box occupancies and the corresponding strategies and tactics needed when dealing with these types of structures.
CE #8 – Big Box Part 2: This 4 hour training module expands on Big Box Part 1 by taking a detailed look at tilt slab construction techniques and the fire protection systems used for Big Box structures.
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CE #9 – Mayday Operations: This 5 hour training module will focus on preventing Maydays, S/D operations review, Mayday operation guidelines, and Operational level Mayday responsibilities. All of this will be followed by 4 Mayday fire scenarios to end the training module.
CE #10 – Deployment Review: This 3 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 1 – Deployment. The major goal of this function is to provide and manage a steady, adequate and timely stream of the appropriate resources.
CE #11 – Assume, Confirm & Position Command Review: This 3 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 2 – Assume, Confirm, and Position Command. The major goal of this function is to quickly establish & confirm a single IC & to place that IC in the most effective command position.
CE #12 – Size-Up Review: This 4 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 3 – Situation Evaluation. The major goal of this function is to develop a routing approach to size-up using standard information-management forms that identify the incident’s major critical factors.
CE #13 – Strategy and Incident Action Planning (IAP) Review: This 5 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 4 – Strategy and IAP. The major goal of this function is to use a systematic method to make basic strategy decisions, & to develop & initiate a tactical IAP that safely accomplishes the incident’s tactical objectives.
CE #14 – Incident Organization Review: This 4 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 6 – Organization. The major goal of this function is to develop an effective incident organization using the SDG system to decentralize & delegate tactical/geographic responsibilities.
CE #15 – Review and Revise the Strategy and IAP: This 5 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 7 – Evaluate, Review and Revise. The major goal of this function is to confirm that the current IAP meets the incident’s tactical requirement, adequately provides for worker safety and identifies and addresses critical areas not yet covered.
CE #16 – Continue and Support Command Review: This 2 hour core competency module is a review of Command Function 8 – Continue, Support, and Terminate Command. The major goal of this function is to provide enough command and the required command support to manage the incident for the necessary length of time in order to achieve the tactical priorities.
CE #17 – EMS: The purpose of this 4 hour training module is to integrate and manage a multi-patient EMS incident within the framework of the Blue Card incident management system. This module is designed to manage the local, every day, multi-patient incidents that represent over 99% of our routine activity. This is NOT a mass casualty (MCI) program. CE #18 – Accountability: The purpose of this 3-hour training module is to give the student a condensed version of the accountability process that is found throughout the 8 Functions of Command training modules. The program focuses on the accountability responsibilities of the task, tactical, and strategic levels of the organization. The module concludes with a video and audio 97 demo on managing/filling out a tactical worksheet.
There are 2 (two) possible ways a student can have their CE modules delivered:
1. The student selects what CE modules to access 2. The Instructor(s) for the department selects what CE modules students have access to
1. The student selects their own CE modules to access Once a student has successfully passed the on-line training program, they will be presented with the screen below. The student will have the option to pick their 2 CE modules (the entire CE module list will be available to choose from) and to print their on-line training completion certificate. Instructors have access to all of their student’s Blue Card completion certificates by accessing a student’s profile using the instructor tools in the admin section of the website. The 2 CE modules will be available to the student for the remainder of their 1 year subscription; i.e.; the student completes their online training with 200 days remaining on their subscription, they have 200 days to finish their 2 CE modules, or the student completes the online training with 10 days remaining on their subscription, they have 10 days to finish their 2 CE modules.
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2
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All CE modules that are currently on the system will be available to choose from 98
2. The Instructor for the department selects what CE modules their students have access to Certified Instructors have the option to designate what 2 CE modules their students have access to during the first year of their subscription. The next 2 pages will show the screens that the students will encounter when completing the online training modules and when their 1-year subscription is renewed ($125.00 option) and an Instructor selects the CE for their department. A student who just completed their online training modules where the department Instructor has selected their modules, will see the screen below. This screen advises the student of what CE modules were selected and are now available to them for the remainder of their 1-year subscription.
A student who has been renewed on the system ($125.00 option) where their department Instructor has selected their modules, will see the screen below when logging in for the first time after their online renewal has been activated. This screen advises the student of what new CE modules were selected for them and that they are now available in the CE section of the website.
A student who has renewed their subscription with the $125.00 option, will receive access to all CE modules available on the system. All viewed CE modules will reset after an IC recertifies at the end of their 3-year certification period.
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Managing Student CE Module Access To access the “CE Priority” section of your training site, log in and click on the “Admin Center” button. Once in the Instructor tools, go to the bottom ribbon and click on the “CTC Management” tab. Once you’re in this section, there is now a new tab that is available labeled “CE Priority”. Click on the tab to open up this section of the website. The next page will overview the general guidelines of prioritizing your departments CE modules.
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Prioritizing the CE Modules
Once you’re in the CE Priority section of the Instructor tools, it is a simple process of ordering the way you want the CE modules to be viewed by your students. Simply click the up or down arrows to stack the different CE modules into the order you want them to be viewed by your students and then click the “Save” button. CE Priority General Guidelines: • • •
• •
•
•
Doing nothing with this page will automatically allow the individual students of your department to select their own order in which they view the CE modules Once you have clicked save on this page, the appearing order will be the order all of your students will view their CE modules After a student has completed the core Command Function training modules, Priority 1 and 2, will be the first modules that a student has immediately available to them for the remainder of their first year on the system Renewed students ($125.00 option) will then have access to the CE modules in the order you have prioritized them. A student who has renewed their subscription with the $125.00 option, will receive access to all CE modules available on the system. All viewed CE modules will reset after an IC recertifies at the end of their 3-year certification period. Clicking the “Reset Unused Credit” button, will take any unused CE credits utilized by the all of the students on your RMS system and it will automatically make the next CE module(s) available to them match your priority list Blue Card will not adjust the CE priority order for any department or give any additional CE’s credits to students in a department trying to match an instructor’s new order of the CE’s being viewed
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CTC Management
Once an Instructor has been certified, they will have the option of having a department CTC locater flag activated on the BlueCardCommand.com web site page. Each CTC flag can be opened and viewed on the Blue Card web site and the following information can be uploaded to your site: • Photos highlighting your CTC • Contact information of your CTC training staff • Any Events that are marked “External” in the Event Manager will be available for outside students to register for
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CTC Management – Information Entry
Clicking on the Edit button will open up a window that allows the Instructor to fill in all of their CTC information. The information graphic is highlighted below.
Please fill out all information fields.
If your CTC or department has an Internet home page, please insert the address in the Home Page Link. The Blue Card staff will place your CTC pin on the map based on the location you provide.
Once all information has been entered, click on the Save button. Jpeg images of your CTC can be uploaded using the Upload Image tool.
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CTC Management – Web site Management
On the Blue Card home page: www.bluecardcommand.com Clicking on the CTC icon (pictured above) will take you to the CTC map highlighting all of the active CTC’s around the world. Highlighting an individual CTC and clicking on the “more information” text will take you to that CTC’s home page.
Clicking on the “Site Events” tab will take you to all “Public External” Events that you have created in the Event Manager. Any Public/External Event will also be displayed in the master CTC Events list. The Private/Public selection button in the Event Manager.
Once the CTC home page is opened, the viewer can see all the contact information for the CTC and any images uploaded to the viewer. 104
Uploading Instructor Material into an iPad Technical requirements: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Computer with iTunes loaded onto it An iTunes account An iPad The Instructor media package (the instructor media can be directly uploaded from the Instructors thumb drive or files loaded onto the computer with the iTunes program)
The following are the basic steps to get the Instructor media onto your new iPad. This is not a lesson on how to work and manipulate iTunes.
DO THIS FIRST WITH YOUR NEW iPAD v Have the latest, updated 5.0 sims from the Instructor download center ready to load v Open iTunes on your main computer v Plug your iPad into the computer that has iTunes loaded on it using the USB connection provided with the iPad
If this is the first time you plug your iPad into your computer, you’ll see this screen:
v Select – Set up as new iPad - Clicking continue will take you to the next screen v If you restore from a back up, you are familiar with iTunes and can proceed with getting your files added to the iPad without the need of this document 105
Clicking “Get Started” will take you to the interface below:
Once here, hit the SYNC button on the bottom right hand corner of the window. This will erase any data on the iPad that has been previously downloaded.
Once the iPad has finished syncing, add the following applications under the Apps tab of your iPad. You may have to download these apps from the iTunes app store if they are not already downloaded into your iTunes account. All of these apps are free and Blue Card has provided each Instructor with a free activation code for Fire Studio.
iBooks or a free PFD reader will play all of the PowerPoint’s that have been PDF’d
OPlayerHD will play all of the MP4 videos
Fire Studio 5 will play all of the 5.0 sims 106
Once you have the proper applications loaded onto your iPad – you can click this link for a video tutorial on loading simulation files onto your iPad. These same principles apply for all other files that will be loaded onto the iPad. Please visit this link for the tutorial: http://www.digitalcombustion.com/content/tutorials Once at the site, go to “Transferring Simulations to the iPad Player App” video and launch.
In the “Apps” tab, go to the “File Sharing” area at the bottom of the window. Click on the FS5 Player tab.
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Once in the file sharing area, click on Fire Studio and then hit the “Add” button to add files for the app.
Navigate to the Blue Card Instructor Package (or wherever you have the Instructor files loaded)
Find the 5.0 Sim folder
Find the simulation you want to upload and open that sim folder
Once open, highlight both the .dcs file and the .lbr files. The simulation will not play without both files added. Once you have selected all of the files in the folder, click add.
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Continue the adding process until you have added all of the desired files. Once they have all been added, hit “Apply” or the “Sync” button. This will transfer all of the selected files into your iPad. Once all of the files have been uploaded and the sync is complete, disconnect your iPad and restart it. After restarting, all of the selected files should be available for viewing. Please use the same method to upload the MP4 videos and the PDF PowerPoint’s into the iPad. All Instructors have been provided with a free activation code for Fire Studio. Please call the Blue Card office for any assistance activating your free Fire Studio iPad license.
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Loading simulations on an iPad ALERT!
With the release of Multi-Unit 4 series and the Residential 6 series simulations, Blue Card has experienced, along with several other Instructors, when loading the new simulations onto the iPad, all simulations on the iPad go black and none of the previously loaded simulations will work. This problem affects all iPads no matter the age, storage amount, or the version of software you’re using on the iPad or with iTunes when downloading simulations. THERE IS A MAX LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF SIMULATIONS THAT CAN BE LOADED ONTO AN IPAD. Digital Combustion reports that the problem is due to an application restriction in the apple iPad software. The iPad will safely hold approximately 25 of the Blue Card simulations (in their entirety) without turning everything black. Removing the added simulations that made everything go black on the iPad will solve the problem. If you have over 25 Blue Card simulations on your iPad and you want to load a new sim, one of the current simulations on the iPad must be removed to avoid having this problem. This problem does not apply to loading and running the simulations on any other computer (PC, Laptop, or other Mac products) it only occurs when using an iPad. Digital Combustion is working on a fix at this time. All Instructors will be advised of the fix as soon as it is implemented.
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CTC in a Box Pricing Options
IPads IPad CTC in a Box Includes: • • • • • • • •
Sold only to a licensed instructor These are the specs of the only iPad that Blue Card will provide in a CTC in a box 16 gig Wi-Fi only iPad (more than enough room to hold all sims) 1 year manufacture warrantee 8 Digital Combustion - Fire Studio player applications installed All iPads will be configured with all Blue Card simulations loaded and ready to go out of the box Heavy duty carrying/shipping case $9,500 Delivered
MacBook Air Laptops 13” MacBook Air CTC in a Box Includes: • • • • • • •
Sold only to a licensed instructor These are the only laptop computers that Blue Card will provide in a CTC in a box 1 year manufacture warrantee 8 Digital Combustion - Fire Studio player applications installed All 13” MacBook Air computers will be configured with all Blue Card simulations loaded and ready to go out of the box Heavy duty carrying/shipping case $17,000.00 Delivered
Contact us at:
855.872.5822
Updated Sept 2015
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Simulation Packages
Instructor Quick Reference Guide 112
This “Simulation Packages” PDF will give an Instructor a quick reference to all of the simulations provided in the Blue Card Instructor media package. Every Blue Card simulation provided in the instructor package comes with a corresponding Simulation Review PowerPoint and Instructor guide. Instructors should refer to these documents to get a more comprehensive overview of the individual simulations before performing them.
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Big Box Sim 1 & 2 This is a very large commercial structure. The building was built in the early 2000's using tilt slab walls with a lightweight metal panelized roof. The structure has a flat roof using parallel cord metal trusses (panelized roof system) and is covered with a very lightweight corrugated aluminum decking. The occupancy is aprox 120 ft X 250 ft (30,000 sq ft) and is used to distribute automotive and industrial tires. The front (A north side) of the building contains aprox 4,000 square feet of office space and the remainder of the structure is used to store tires on 15 ft racks and they are also stacked in 2 large sections in the warehouse. The building is equipped with a sprinkler system and a pumping station due to the extreme fire load in the warehouse portion of the building. The FDC is on the southeast (B-C corner) of the structure. Here are the review points that Instructors should focus on for the offensive fire: • • • • • • • • • • •
Offensive fire conditions Cold smoke fire tactics Water supply (local) Resources / Response profile Built in fire suppression systems Arrangement - Apparatus placement Interior access points Interior depths to the fire area Roof reporting Work rest cycle Firefighter safety
Here are the review points that Instructors should focus on for the defensive fire: • • • • • • •
Firefighter safety Water supply (local) Resources / Response profile Arrangement - Apparatus placement Establishing collapse zones Search exposures Protect exposures
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Big Box Sim 3 A-B-C
For Big box buildings, these critical factor category become a much bigger deals, because it has a huge impact on: • Fire behavior • Our ability to quickly access the fire area • Air management • Overall firefighter safety It becomes critical that all 3 operational levels on these types of structures follow all deployment and air management SOP’s. This simulation gives us chance to train on and discuss our operations for big box buildings. Ø Big Box Sim 3A shows nothing showing on E-1’s arrival on to the scene. The fire can be reached from the Alpha side with a 200 ft. stretch Ø Big Box 3B shows cold smoke on the Alpha upon arrival. A stretch through Alpha does not reach the seat of the fire and a second attack position must be established on the Charlie side Ø Big Box 3C shows a defensive fire from the lumber area of the store. Set up a standard defensive op Here are the review points that Instructors should focus on: • Offensive fire conditions • Cold smoke fire tactics • Water supply (local) • Resources / Response profile • Built in fire suppression systems • Arrangement - Apparatus placement • Interior access points • Interior depths to the fire area • Roof reporting • Work rest cycle • Firefighter safety Here are the review points that all defensive fires should focus on: • Firefighter safety • Water supply (local) • Resources / Response profile • Arrangement - Apparatus placement • Establishing collapse zones • Search exposures • Protect exposures
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Commercial Sim 1
This is a small sized - 2 occupancy commercial structure that was built in the early 1970's using conventional construction techniques. It has a flat roof using 2" x 12" joist construction. The main/largest occupancy is a flooring material showroom that is aprox 100 ft X 50 ft (5,000 sq ft). The smaller occupancy that L's off the main occupancy is an air conditioning parts store that is aprox. 50 ft X 40 ft (2,000 sq. ft) and it is separated by the main occupancy by a masonry fire wall. Each occupancy has a small interior balcony that is used for storage and they both contain a normal fire load for the occupancy type. The structure has a good water supply, but no fire protection systems. Access points, entry debts and air management become major considerations for IC’s as the buildings get larger. When handlines are unable to access all points in a structure, the IC will need to identify and assign subsequent arriving units to other entry points in and around the structure. FF safety becomes the biggest life safety issues in these types of structures. Large floor plans don’t accommodate quick searches and all-clears. All initial efforts must be directed towards putting water on the fire using the quickest routes/path(s) possible. The biggest discussion points should be: § § § § § § §
Arrangement and access points Apparatus placement – Attack team management What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Attack line management – Backing up vs. other entry points Roof ops for this fire Attic fire management – flat roofs with high ceilings The 7 sides of the fire
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Commercial Sim 2
This is a medium to large commercial structure that measures 100 x 200 ft. for a total square footage of: 20,000. It was built in the late 40’s and was originally a grocery store. The current tenant has been in the building 15 years and it is used to manufacture spas. The front, East side and North side of the structure house the show room and office space, while 70% of the rest of the building is an open floor plan the supports the production process. There is a heavy fire load contained in the building consisting of plastics and insulating polymers. There are entry points on all sides of the building. This structure is much larger than the last commercial structure simulation. Again, entry depths and air management become major considerations for IC’s as the buildings get larger. When handlines are unable to access all points in a structure, the IC will need to identify and assign subsequent arriving units to other entry points in and around the structure. This is an old war horse of a building and is a close match (both building and scenario) to the Brett Tarver – Southwest Supermarket Fire in 2001. It was an outside fire that extended into the attic via the attic vents and the whole truss loft is soon exposed fire. The biggest discussion points should be: § § § § § § § §
Arrangement and access points Apparatus placement – Attack team management What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Attack line management – Backing up vs. other entry points Roof ops Attic fire management – old, wide span truss roof systems The 7 sides of the fire Defensive transitions
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Commercial Sim 3
This commercial building was constructed in the late 1970's. It has masonry walls and a metal, parallel cord trussed roof that is covered with asphalt roofing. The roof has normal dead loads for the occupancy type. The front, Alpha side of the building contains office space, while 80% of the rest of the structure is used to manufacture, store and ship airplane parts. The attic space is 2 feet high, common, and there are no fire walls. The attic spaces in the warehouse area have no ceilings, with the trusses exposed. There are several fire hydrants within 1000 ft of the Incident and there is good access on all sides of the structure. This simulation is an obvious defensive fire from E-1’s arrival on scene. Most of the Blue Card simulations are offensive (or they start out that way) but we also need to practice our command skills on defensive Incidents. The building has no significant exposures and there is good apparatus access around much of the building. The Charlie side of the building can only be accessed from the Delta side of the building. Access to the Charlie side from the Bravo side is protected by a chain link fence. Here are the review points that Instructors should focus on: • • • • • • • • • • •
Defensive fire tactics Saying the word “Defensive” Firefighter safety Access/Arrangement/Apparatus placement Water supply / Pumped water Water shuttle operations (if they apply) and how that would affect your attack positioning Elevated master streams Accountability on defensive fires S/D operations on defensive fires Managing fire perimeters Later on in the Incident – supporting the IC, Rehab, run-off, DEQ, etc.
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Commercial Sim 4
This commercial building consists of two structures. The front, Alpha portion was constructed in the late 1970's. It has masonry walls and a flat, wood joist roof that is covered with asphalt roofing. The roof has normal dead loads for the occupancy type. The largest area of the building (Charlie back end) was built in the mid 1980's using metal construction using parallel cord, lightweight metal trusses. The front, Alpha side of the building contains office space, while 80% of the rest of the structure is used to store and ship restaurant supplies. The attic space in the Alpha portion is 2 feet high, common, and there are no fire walls. The attic spaces in the warehouse area have no ceilings, with the trusses exposed. There are several fire hydrants within 1000 ft of the Incident and there is good access on all sides of the structure. The building has no significant exposures and there is good apparatus access around the Alpha and Bravo areas of the building. The Charlie side of the building has no horizontal openings and access from the Delta side of the building is restricted by a chain link fence. This simulation is an obvious offensive fire from E-1’s arrival on scene. Here are the review points that Instructors should focus on: • • • • • • • • • •
Offensive fire conditions Water supply (local) Resources / Response profile Fire load Arrangement - Apparatus placement Interior access points Interior depths to the fire area Roof operations - Roof reporting Work rest cycle Firefighter safety
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Multi-Unit Residential Sim 1
This is a large apartment complex containing several apartment buildings. The complex was built in the early 1960's using conventional construction techniques. Each apartment building is 2 stories and each floor contains 8, two and three bedroom units that are 1,200 & 1,600 square feet per unit (14,000 total square feet per floor). The complex has an excellent water supply, but it has no fire protection systems (standpipe or sprinklers). When you look at the tactical challenges of large apt buildings, the attic seems to be the place where we will loose the structure when it happens. This will be the theme with all multi-unit residential Sims, getting up into the attic space early and verifying the 7 sides exposed to the fire. The biggest discussion points should be: § § § § § § §
Apparatus placement and access in apt. complexes What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Attack line management – Extending handlines Putting water on the fire as quickly as possible Covering critical areas quickly with the local deployment Attic fire management in large multi-unit – common attic space structures The 7 sides of the fire
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Multi-Unit Residential Sim 2
This is a large apartment complex containing several apartment buildings. The complex was built in the early 1960's using conventional construction techniques. Each apartment building is 3 stories and each floor contains 5, two and three bedroom units that are 800 & 1,200 square feet per unit (7,000 total square feet per floor). The complex has an excellent water supply, but it has no fire protection systems (standpipe or sprinklers). Just like the last Apt. Sim, when you look at the tactical challenges of large apt buildings, the attic seems to be the place where we will loose the structure when it happens. This will be the theme with all multi-unit residential Sims, getting up into the attic space early and verifying the 7 sides exposed to the fire. The biggest discussion points should be: § § § § § § §
Apparatus placement and access in apt. complexes What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Attack line management – Extending handlines Putting water on the fire as quickly as possible Covering critical areas quickly with the local deployment Attic fire management in large multi-unit – common attic space structures The 7 sides of the fire
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Multi-Unit Residential Sim 3
This is a large apartment complex containing several apartment buildings. The complex was built in the early 1960's using conventional construction techniques. Each apartment building is 2 stories and each floor contains 8, two and three bedroom units that are 1,200 & 1,600 square feet per unit (14,000 total square feet per floor). The complex has an excellent water supply, but it has no fire protection systems (standpipe or sprinklers). For the everyday worlds we live in, command must be local. Therefore it is very difficult to make a simulation review all “Black & White”. The decisions made will need to be based on local SOP’s, training, the incident’s critical factors and how they line up with the local response profile, staffing, response times, mutual and automatic agreements, and unit capabilities. Simulation Goals: When you look at the tactical challenges of large apt buildings, the attic seems to be the place where we will lose the structure when it happens. This will be the theme with all multi-unit residential Sims, getting up into the attic space early and verifying the 7 sides exposed to the fire. The biggest discussion points should be: § § § § § § §
Apparatus placement and access in apt. complexes What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Attack line management – Extending handlines Putting water on the fire as quickly as possible Covering critical areas quickly with the local deployment Attic fire management in large multi-unit – common attic space structures The 7 sides of the fire
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Multi-Unit Residential Sim 4 A-B-C-D Two different “building types” could be used to describe the structure used for this simulation; either a “Town House” or a “Row House”. The major distinction between the two structures is; town houses usually have a common attic space over several units, while row houses generally have attic separation between the individual connected units (exposures). The structure used for this simulation has attic separation between each unit and would probably fit more into the “Row House” category. These building types have been most commonly found in the northeastern part of the country. But, they are becoming more and more common in the rest of the country because they allow developers to maximize the square footage sold per acre. The arrangement of the dwellings also gives the buyer lots of square footage per unit, while significantly lowering the overall cost of the home. All multi-unit dwellings are required to have one hour of fire separation from their attached exposures. This coupled with the attic separation used between units on this structure, makes early fire extension to the exposed units very unlikely and it allows operating units to use “protect in place” life safety tactics. The most exposed humans, in an offensive situation, will be any occupants and the firefighters located in the actual fire occupancy. Here are the operational points that Instructors should focus on for this scenario: • • • • •
The quickest way to put water on the fire using your people and equipment Arrangement - Apparatus placement – Attack position management Resources / Response profile Interior access points Life safety
4-A: Fire is located on the 1st floor, garage 4-B: Fire is located on the 2nd floor living area 4-C: Fire is located on the 3rd floor Charlie side bedroom 4-D: Defensive fire throughout the entire structure
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Residential Sim 1
This house is in a residential subdivision that was built in the mid-sixties using conventional construction techniques. Most of the homes in the development are between 1,800 to 2,400 square ft. and have 3 to 4 bedrooms. You run on EMS calls often in the neighborhood and these are well kept, middle class homes with normal contents and fire loads. All houses in this sub-division have fenced back yards with the utility drops coming into the C side (rear) of each unit. This simulation is a good “starter” simulation. It is a room and contents fire in a typical North American house. There will be some fire extension into the attic space, but just in the area of the room of origin and there are no victims (customers) inside the structure. The objective of this simulation is to get the students feeling comfortable with the simulation process using a simple, everyday scenario. Probably the biggest discussion points will be: § § § § § §
Does the 1st in BC transfer command from E-1 Quick hits A little attic fire management Putting water on the fire as quickly as possible Covering critical areas quickly with the local deployment What to do with E-3 after the problem is eliminated
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Residential Sim 2 & 3
This house is in a residential subdivision that was built less than 5 years ago using light weight construction techniques. Most of the homes in the development are between 3,000 to 4,000 square ft., they are mostly 2 stories and have 3 to 4 bedrooms. You run on EMS calls often in the neighborhood and these are well kept, middle class homes with normal contents and fire loads. This simulation is a little tougher than the last one. You have a medium sized, 2 story house, with a working fire and fire extension to the D side exposure. The objective of this simulation is for the 1st arriving Co. officer to correctly identify the 3 most significant critical factors and correlate his assignments to address the most critical areas of the incident. The biggest discussion points will be: § § § § § § §
Early resource determination 2nd assignment vs. the 3rd Water on the fire as quickly as possible Light weight – concealed space fires Defensive transition on the main fire occupancy Loss control on Exposure Organization
Simulation 3 is the same exact fire scenario, but there is a victim located on the 2nd floor of the main fire occupancy. This adds another component to an already complicated event.
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Residential Sim 4 A-B-C This occupancy is a 2 story house with a lookout basement on the Charlie side. The total square footage is aprox 2,800 sq. ft and it is constructed of lightweight building materials. It is a typical Midwestern 2 story house with a basement. For the everyday worlds we live in, command must be local. Therefore it is very difficult to make a simulation review all “Black & White”. The decisions made will need to be based on local SOP’s, training, the incident’s critical factors and how they line up with the local response profile, staffing, response times, mutual and automatic agreements, and unit capabilities. This fire occurs in an area of the country where most homes have basements. There have been several LODD’s that have occurred because of the lack of a 360 and entry crews not knowing where the fire is located. The biggest discussion points should be: § § § § § §
Initial water supply 360’s Basement fire tactics Putting water on the fire as quickly as possible Covering critical areas quickly with the local deployment The 7 sides of the fire
Ø Sim 4A – The fire is located in the basement Ø Sim 4B – The fire is located on the 2nd floor with a victim on the 3rd floor, Charlie side Ø Sim 4C – The fire is located on the 2nd floor with obvious attic involvement
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Residential Sim 5 A-B This occupancy is a 1 story house with a walk out basement. The total square footage is aprox 3,000 sq ft and it is constructed of lightweight building materials. It is a typical Midwestern 1 story house with a basement. This will be the last house fire simulation series that we produce for a while. This will be a 2 part sim set and it will give all Instructors a total of 8 residential simulations that include 2 basement fires. This is appropriate because house fires represent over 75% of our structural fire response. This simulation set is in a medium sized, upscale, 1 story house, located in the Midwest. There have been several LODD’s that have occurred because of the lack of a 360 and entry crews not knowing where the fire is located. The 360 on this sim reveals a working fire in a walk out, unfinished basement. The biggest discussion points should be: • Overall arrangement [layout and driveways] • Access points into the structure • 360’s • Rescue profile of the structure • Distances of hose stretches • Putting water on the fire as quickly as possible • Covering critical areas quickly with the local deployment • Ladder throws that would be used (if needed) • Amount of resources needed to cover all critical areas Ø Sim 5A has the fire located in a walk-out basement Ø Sim 5B has the fire located on the 1st floor Ø An exterior quick hit would work well for both fires
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Residential Sim 6 – A, B, C, & D This simulation series uses a small 2 story house with a walkout basement that is located in the Midwest. This single family residence hosts a total of 4 fires with the fire location as follows: • • • •
Sim A Sim B Sim C Sim D
Car fire in the garage Walkout basement fire (finished) 1st floor fire 2nd floor fire
Each simulation stresses the importance of performing 360’s prior to making entry into a structure (whenever possible). The number one objective on any fire incident is to put water on the fire as quickly and as safely as possible. Therefore, the fire location becomes one of the biggest tactical considerations when dealing with any fire. There have also been several LODD’s that have occurred because of the lack of a 360 and entry crews not knowing where the fire is located. The 360 on each of the simulations either reveals the exact location of the fire (sims B-C) or confirms the location of the fire given on the IRR (sims A-D). Using a quick hit prior to making entry is the appropriate tactic to use on 3 of the 4 simulations. Simulation C has the fire located on the 1st floor in the kitchen. In this scenario, using legacy tactics (entering 1st floor Alpha side from the unburned portion) is the quickest and safest way to apply water to the fire. The biggest discussion points for all of the simulations in this package should be: • • • • • •
360’s Basement fire tactics Quick hits vs. unburned portion The 7 sides of the fire Modern day support work Ventilation
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Strip Mall Sim 1 & 2
This is a small to medium sized - 3 occupancy strip mall. The complex was build in the early 1960's using conventional construction techniques. The center occupancy contains a dollar store. The west (D side) occupancy is a pawn shop and the east (B side) occupancy is an automotive store. Each occupancy contains a normal fire load for the occupancy type. The structure has an good water supply, but it has no fire protection systems. Single story strip malls give us a very standard, tactical deployment model. Here is a very simple version of a standard attack plan on a strip mall: 1st Eng. make a hit directly on the fire unit, 2nd Eng. covers the largest side #1 exposure, 3rd Eng. covers the smaller side #1 exposure, and get into the attic space on all sides of the fire. The biggest discussion points for the offensive should be: § § § § § § § §
Arrangement and access points Apparatus placement – Attack team management What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Initial IAP of the IC #1 Back-Up with the 2nd line or cover another area (attic) Ladder assignment Attic fire management in large multi-unit – common attic space structures The 7 sides of the fire
The biggest discussion points for the defensive fire should be: § § § § § § § §
Arrangement and access points Defensive fire tactics for the center unit Apparatus placement – Attack team management What are your organization landmarks (A,B, C, D sides) Initial IAP of the IC #1 – Did he/she call it defensive Ladder assignment Attic fire management in large multi-unit – common attic space structures The 7 sides of the fire 129
Strip Mall Sim 3
Strip Mall simulation #3 is a medium sized strip mall that was constructed in the early 1970’s. The roof structure is made up of parallel cord steel trusses. The main trusses run Alpha to Charlie, with purlin trusses running Bravo to Delta. The roof is covered with a medium gauged galvanized metal deck. There are no fire walls, but each occupancy is separated by draft stopping in the attic space. We looked into the attic space while taking pictures for the sim and noticed that the drafts stops were in pretty good condition compared to the age of the building. The building measures approximately 180 ft. by 75 ft. for a total square footage of about 13,500 square ft. The strip mall houses 7 occupancies. We have them listed from the Bravo end to the Delta end: • • • • • • •
Nail salon Vacant Hair salon Vacant Pizza parlor Insurance/loan office Bar
The fire is located in the kitchen of the pizza parlor that extends into the attic space. The simulation plays out to where the IC has to go defensive in the main fire occupancy. There are several factors that should be considered in your department to remain offensive in the exposures of the strip mall. They are: •
• •
Do we have enough resource (people and equipment) to stay offensive? This operation will take at least 2 crews in each exposure (Bravo and Delta) with each hand line flowing at least a 175 gpm. It will also require an elevated master stream on the defensive unit to assist with keeping the fire from extending. Do we have enough water available to produce the needed GPM flow? Will the building construction allow us to remain in the exposures? Will a collapse in the defensive occupancy cause a collapse in one of the exposures?
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EMS Simulations A & B Simulation A: Centers around a single vehicle accident, with a 360 degree rollover on Interstate 10 that involves 2 – 40 year old male patients. The vehicle has significant amount of damage. Both patients are “Immediate” and require extrication. Simulation B: Centers around a 3 vehicle auto accident on Interstate 10 (same location as simulation A) that involves 5 total patients. 1 vehicle has significant damage with 2 “Immediate” patients requiring extrication. 1 vehicle has moderate damage with 2 “Delayed” patients. The last vehicle has moderate damage with 1 “Delayed” patient. Unlike a structural fire tactical simulation where the student gets fast paced, dynamic images, an EMS sim is very slow moving and requires much more face to face communication and coordination in the actual sim lab than the opposing fire sim. Instructors running these simulations must proactively connect the players in the sim lab. On fire sims, this connection comes via the radio. On EMS incidents, normally this coordination would occur face to face at these types of scenes. The following areas will need to be closely coordinated during the simulations: • • •
Extrication getting patients to treatment units Treating units connecting with medic/transportation units Transport units leaving the scene with patients
Simulation A is much easier to manage due to only having 2 patients, so there is no need to create much of an organization. Simulation B has 5 patients that start butting up to an IC’s span of control. The best thing to do for this scenario is to make the E-1 officer “Treatment”. They will be located in the actual sim lab and will be better positioned to coordinate the different moving parts of the impact area. Subdividing treatment to E-1 frees up the IC to manage hospital notification and unit movements in and out of the incident scene. It will also allow the IC the ability to liaison with other agencies that could be responding to the incident scene.
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