Hands on Training Details

Thank you Wally’s Fire Equipment for supporting this program.

Thermal Imaging: A General Overview with Practical Applications with Live Fire (1-day)

This course is designed to familiarize and review the elements of NFPA 1801 – Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service. It also aims to train fire service personnel in the fundamentals, operation, use, and maintenance of thermal imagers in compliance with NFPA 1408. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the essential aspects of thermal imaging technology and its practical applications in fire service.

The course begins with an introduction to the basic theory and technology associated with thermal imaging. This includes an understanding of the limitations of thermal imagers, as well as the correct interpretation and common misinterpretations of thermal images. Students will learn to identify the two different types of thermal imagers and their specific functionalities. Participants will delve into the operational features of thermal imagers, focusing on temperature measurement and colorization. The course will cover advanced features contained within thermal imagers and highlight the differences between NFPA 1801-certified and non-certified thermal imagers. This knowledge is crucial for making informed decisions in the field and maximizing the effectiveness of thermal imaging tools.

Understanding the cleaning and basic maintenance required for thermal imagers is essential for ensuring their longevity and reliability. This part of the course provides detailed instructions on proper maintenance practices, helping to extend the life of these critical tools and ensure they are always ready for use.

The final section of the course covers the basic use of thermal imagers in over 25 various applications. Participants will gain practical experience and knowledge on how to effectively apply thermal imaging technology in a variety of fire scenarios, enhancing their operational efficiency and safety.

By the end of this course, fire service personnel will be well-equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively use and maintain thermal imagers, in compliance with NFPA standards.

Lead Instructors: Manfred Kihn & Jeff Queen

January 26 , 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: Full Structural PPE Required to include SCBA. Shorts, sleeveless shirt and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Prerequisites: Firefighter I

Hand in Hand Engine School (3-day) — SOLD OUT

The Hand in Hand Engine School is dedicated to exploring all aspects related to engine operations. Paying homage in its name to the first organized engine company in the Palmetto State, this course delves deep into the stretch, the advance, water application, equipment specification, pumping, hydrant, and drafting approaches, and even victim rescue. Led by some of the foremost engine experts in the country, this course is an exceptional opportunity for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of engine operations. 

Lead Instructor: Jonah Smith

January 23-25, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: Lexington County Training Center  

PPE: Full Structural PPE Required to include SCBA. Shorts, sleeveless shirt and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: Firefighter I

Truck School (3-day) — SOLD OUT

Columbia Fire boasts one of the strongest truck cultures in the Southeast and their internal Truck School is impressive. The program, taught by the Columbia Truck School cadre, will be held at the Columbia Fire training facility fully equipped with specialized props. This hands-on program offers the chance to either refine existing skills or acquire new and efficient ones. 

 The Truck School covers a range of topics, including the maintenance, operations, and troubleshooting of all types of saws. It also provides training in vertical ventilation for both flat and pitched roofs, building construction, and forcible entry for conventional (door prop), locks/chains, garage doors, and window bars. Additionally, participants will develop search and VES skills, including victim removals. This class is essential for firefighters who provide fireground support and truck operations. 

Lead Instructor: Blake Cartee

January 23-25, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: Columbia Fire Training

PPE: Full Structural PPE Required to include SCBA.  Shorts, sleeveless shirt and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: Firefighter I

Thank you SAFE Industries for supporting this program.

Beyond the Basics Driver Operator School (3-day)

This 3-day program is designed to take the DO beyond the basics and enhance their skills for arriving safely to and working at the emergency scene to include South Carolina Emergency Vehicle Laws and Regulations and Traffic Incident Management, preventive maintenance, and pre-trip inspections. It will also provide a different perspective for unique fireground pumping operations and advance drafting and water supply techniques.  This intense program will test the driver operator through tabletop scenarios, hands on pumping drills to include troubleshooting and big water. We will also address real-world advance drafting evolutions with an emphasis on progressing the systems.  This is a must for career and volunteer driver operators throughout the state.

Lead Instructors: Jeff Allen, Philip Yarchuk, and Andy Soccodato

January 23-25, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: Full Structural PPE.  Shorts, sleeveless shirt and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: EVDT and Pump Ops I & II

The Effective Command Process: Practical Incident Command (3-day)

Having a strong command presence is crucial for ensuring the safety of your team and the success of any mission. Effective Command offers a comprehensive program to help you develop and refine your skills in managing NIMS Type 4 and 5 events. In this course, trade in the intimidating and overwhelming “Command Organizational Structure” for a more practical approach to command that ensures accountability and safety. Do not wait to develop the strong command presence that your firefighters crave and rely on – prepare today for tomorrow. 

Lead Instructor: Nicholas Ray

January 23-25, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: DoubleTree Hotel (2100 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210)

PPE: None 

Pre-Requisites: The only requirement that we suggest would be those members enrolling in the program be in a position within their department to command incidents within your department. We are teaching members to command fires from a command post that is isolated from the tactical and task engagements on the fire scene. Typically, this would involve members from the rank of Lieutenant and above.

Make The Grab: Creating Aggressive Search Culture (2-day) — SOLD OUT

One of the top priorities during fire emergencies must be aggressive search. Firefighters and company officers have a duty to enter the premises, conduct a thorough search, rescue the victim, and ensure their safety. While the topic of searching is a hot topic, training on how to search effectively is limited. This class delves into tactics and search methods that can improve speed and efficiency on the fire ground. Topics include victim drags, carries, and other removal techniques that are not typically covered in training. Additional skills covered include large area search, ground ladders, oriented search, VES, locating victims with the TIC, and searching with the water can. This class goes beyond the basics and emphasizes how the fire service can uphold its oath to prioritize saving lives and search with a sense of purpose. 

Lead Instructor: Micah Rains

January 23-24, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: Full Structural PPE Required to include SCBA.  Shorts, sleeveless shirt and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: Firefighter I

Basic Shoring for the Initial Engine Company (2-day)

Many times, Fire Departments are dispatched to car vs building or simply, an MVA and arrive to find it in or against a structure. Our first thoughts immediately go to the patient and scene stabilization. When doing so, we have to ensure the entire scene is stabilized for safety to operate and prevent any further harm. Shoring in many cases, is thought of in large scale disasters or building collapse incidents. Shoring can benefit the everyday emergency scene with proper knowledge. In this class, we’ll complete scene size up considerations pertaining to shoring operations, go through various ways to perform simple shoring measures to render your scene safe. Many times, these scenes can expand into a larger operation utilizing a US&R resource however, there are some things that the local Engine Company, Ladder, or Rescue can accomplish to stabilize smaller scale scenes. The SC US&R System will teach shoring operations, discuss and train on various pieces of equipment, and conduct a hands on class. This class will be 90% or greater hands on in order for the student to maximize their time on tool experience.

Lead Instructor: SC-TF1 Chad Beam

January 23-24, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: NFPA approved structural firefighting gear or extrication jumpsuit / technical rescue gear, helmet, secondary eye protection, leather type gloves or extrication type gloves, hard sole shoes preferably steel toe or any NFPA approved type boot.  Shorts, sleeveless shirts and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: Firefighter II

Active Shooter/Hostile Event Training  (2-day)

Active Shooter Response Training Program is multi-agency training program designed to develop, refine, and produce successful Rescue Task Force Teams. By bridging the gap, we bring together all Agencies as 1 Team, 1 Fight. Students will learn tactics and concepts to prepare for Active Shooter Incidents & Acts of Violence. We use lessons learned from our military and apply them to the civilian world of Tactical Medicine. Medical skills are from TCCC, TECC, and Combat Life Saver. We focus on the Rescue Task Force Team and Unified Command.  

Lead Instructor: Valkyrie Tactical Solutions

January 23-24, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: All students participating are required to wear appropriate PPE for technical rescue including head, eye, hand and foot protection and appropriate coveralls or structural turnout gear.  Shorts, sleeveless shirts and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: None

Winning on the Fireground: Limited Staffing (2-day)

The public expects excellence from firefighters, regardless of the level of staffing. Firefighters must be trained and prepared to win on the fireground even with limited staffing. The Winning on the Fireground: Limited Staffing course is designed to focus on task level skills that are routinely expected to be accomplished with staff as limited as a single member. The class structure allows students to rotate through 12 skill stations that will challenge them and provide them with techniques to ensure success when lives are on the line and no help is coming. The skills covered in the class include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), stretching attack lines, conducting searches, using ground ladders, moving and removing victims, forcible entry, engineer considerations, and even combative command for the company officer. The class is suitable for all members of the fire service, including those who run with better than average manpower.  

 On the last afternoon of the class, students will be challenged with reality-based scenarios that simulate actual fireground situations, where people are trapped and limited help is available. This will allow participants to put their newly acquired skills to the test in a controlled environment, giving them valuable experience that they can draw upon when responding to real-life incidents. 

 All participants will gain confidence throughout the training and will be equipped with the necessary skills to operate at their best, even in the most challenging situations. 

Lead Instructor: Michael Dozier

January 25-26, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: Full Structural PPE Required to include SCBA.  Shorts, sleeveless shirt and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: Firefighter I

Agricultural Response  (2-day)

The Agricultural Emergency Response Course is a 16-hour course including 4 hours of classroom training mixed with 12 hours or hands-on field exercises. Topics covered include the unique challenges and hazards associated with agricultural incident responses, tools, and techniques to mitigate these incidents, and hands on training involving machinery, livestock, logging, and other types of incidents commonly seen in the agricultural setting. Discussion and hands-on training merge together to give both municipal and rural departments the knowledge to safely respond to and mitigate these specialized situations. In addition, students will discuss medical concerns related to patient extrication, specialized tool usage, livestock transport incidents, and other topics related to agricultural response.

Lead Instructor: Brian Roberson

January 25-26, 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: Ridge Spring Fire Department (201 Green St, Ridge Spring, SC 29129)

PPE: All students participating are required to provide PPE to include turnout gear or extrication suit, helmet, gloves, leather boots, safety glasses, and other items as needed based on extrication type scenarios. Shorts, sleeveless shirts and open toe shoes are prohibited.

Pre-Requisites: None

Thank you Spartan Fire for supporting this program.

Heavy Lifting and Large Vehicle Stabilization  (2-day)

Classroom will cover the training objectives for the two days of lifting and stabilization. Students will learn skills in of lifting and stabilization for complex operations as well as identifying the need for large wreaker assets early in the incident. Students will work on understanding the principles of lifting with lifting bags, large vehicle struts and heavy wrecker equipment. Skill development include side resting and complex vehicle stabilization, complex (Rear) underride of passenger vehicle, complex (Rear and Side) underride of passenger vehicle. Final scenarios include complex multiple vehicle underrides. This will give the student the chance to work together on multiple objectives simultaneously. This class is a mirror image to the HOT class provided at FDIC for the last few years.

Lead Instructor: Robert Joyner & Randy Wells

January 25-26 , 2025
9:00AM-5:00PM

Location: SC Fire Academy

PPE: All students participating are required wear appropriate PPE for technical rescue including head, eye, hand and foot protection and appropriate coveralls or structural turnout gear.  Shorts, sleeveless shirts and open toe shoes are prohibited in the classrooms and on the training grounds.

Prerequisites: Students participating in this course should be proficient with basic vehicle stabilization and victim extrication techniques. All should be competent in scene size up, use of the ICS, hand tool use, cribbing and stabilization, and best practices relating to safe incident operations.