Training Program
Operational Guideline 3-001
CRD Emergency Hazmat Team
PURPOSE:
To establish training criteria and procedures for members of
the CRD Emergency Hazmat Team.
SCOPE:
CRD EHT.
REFERENCES: CRD Emergency Hazmat Team Operational Guidelines and
Policy.
GENERAL
Training is an integral part of the performance of the CRD EHT from the initial
certification of members for minimum qualifying standards, to ongoing skill
maintenance training to ensure members maintain competencies and awareness
up of changing technology, procedures, and best practices.
This operational guideline outlines the procedures for training of CRD EHT
members.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Minimum Qualifications:
All CRD EHT members will be trained to "NFPA 472 Standard for Competence of
Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents"
and certified through a Pro Board or IFSAC accredited agency.
Support personnel shall be certified to Operational and Awareness level training.
Members with certification in NFPA 1001 Firefighter 1 and 2 are deemed to have
met the competencies of NFPA 472 Operational level for participation in a
support role to CRD EHT members.
Levels Of Training:
NFPA 472 Awareness - This level of training provides the skill and knowledge
for responders to identify a hazardous materials incident, begin site control
measures, and begin to collect pertinent information for higher level responders.
Awareness is the minimum level of training required for any member responding
to a Hazardous materials incident in which the CRD EHT is deployed. It is also
the minimum requirement for an incident commander.
NFPA 472 Operational - In addition to the knowledge and skills in the
Awareness level, Operational level responders have the skills and knowledge to
undertake defensive control measures at a hazardous materials incident.
NFPA 472 Technician - In addition to the knowledge and skills in the
Operational level, Technician level responders have the knowledge and skills to
undertake complex offensive control measures to mitigate hazardous materials
incidents.
SKILL MAINTENANCE
Skill maintenance training is divided into two streams - skill maintenance training
sessions and open learning.
Both are designed to reinforce member
competencies and to provide opportunities to enhance existing training
certifications.
Skill Maintenance Training Sessions:
Skill maintenance training sessions or scenarios take place a minimum of 6 times
per year. Each session will be one full day in duration with two platoons
participating in each session. The Team Coordinator is responsible for planning
and scheduling skill maintenance training sessions in consultation with the
Operations Working Group and the CRD.
Skill maintenance training sessions are approved in advance and funded by the
CRD.
Open Learning:
Open learning is defined as seminars and workshops designed to enhance
existing skills and to acquire new skills which are deemed beneficial to the CRD
EHT by the Team Coordinator as approved by the Operations Working Group
and CRD.
Open Learning may either be offered to specific members of the CRD EHT by
recommendation from the Operations Working Group as opportunities arise or;
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members may make application for specific workshops and seminars of which
they become aware.
Members interested in attending open learning must make application to the
Operations Working Group in writing and include the following information:
• Support for the local fire department
• Course outline
• Course dates and tuition
• Detailed list of any travel expenses
• All required coverage/backfilling if the seminar takes place on duty shifts;
or expectation for compensation for volunteers or off duty full-time
members
• Program outcomes and expected benefit to the CRD EHT
Final approval is determined by the CRD upon recommendation from Ops
Working group.
Attendance:
Members must attend at least 2 of the skill maintenance training session and one
open learning per year to maintain membership on the CRD EHT. Members who
are unable to attend the minimum three sessions per year must receive
permission from the Operations Working Group in order to maintain membership
on the CRD EHT. The Operations Working Group will take into consideration the
specific circumstances of each member in determining whether the member can
miss the training and remain on the team.
Members that fail to attend a minimum of three trainings in a calendar year are
automatically suspended from the CRD EHT. Notice of the suspension will be
sent by the CRD Program Administrator to the member, that member’s fire
department Chief, the Policy Group and the CRD Ops Working Group.
Reinstatement to the program will be at the discretion of the CRD and the Ops
Working Group.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAINING
All pre-approved CRD technician training costs will be covered by the program,
including instructors, location, lunch (full day training only) and required materials
Fire Departments will be able to charge back to the program for required
coverage of those in training, based on local department policies. For example, if
your department is mandated to provide coverage of an employee on a minimum
of four hours, you may bill the costs of the person brought in for coverage. All
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attempts should be made to schedule training to reduce this occurrence.
Training schedules will be published in advance to assist in this.
Volunteers will be compensated as per their departments own guidelines for
training compensation.
Travel will not be paid for mileage within the CRD, with the exception of ferry
travel if required.
Per diems will not be paid by the program, as lunch will be provided for full day
training.
Payments will be made directly to municipalities or fire departments only, not
directly to members.
Requests for payments should be directed to:
Protective Services, Capital Regional District
PO Box 1000, Victoria, BC V8W 2S6
All submissions for costs must happen within 30 days of the response or training
to be eligible for cost recovery. Costs submitted beyond 30 days may not be
considered, unless exceptional circumstances apply. Further, all costs within a
calendar year must be received by January 15 of the following year to be
considered, after which the annual budget is closed and no other costs will be
considered.
DRIVER TRAINING
Central Saanich Fire Department members are the sole operators of Hazmat 1.
As such the driver training policies and procedures for that department shall
prevail. No other team members are to drive or operate Hazmat 1, either in
training or at a response.
POST TRAINING EVALUATION
Student Evaluations:
Evaluation of members of the CRD EHT takes place at the point of skill
development whereby a Pro Board or IFSAC accredited agency will evaluate the
requisite skills and knowledge for member certification to NFPA 472 Technician
level.
Program Evaluation:
All training programs for CRD EHT members will be evaluated for effectiveness
and to ensure the training meets the needs of the team.
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A Course Evaluation Form (Appendix 'A') shall be completed by each member
attending skill development and skill maintenance training funded by the CRD
EHT. At the conclusion of training, the Team Coordinator will review all Course
Evaluation Forms and summarize findings and recommendations in a report to
the Operations Working Group.
DOCUMENTATION
Training records are a key component in of the operations of the CRD EHT to
ensure members are certified, competencies are maintained, identify training
needs, and to manage risk overall.
The CRD shall retain training records for each team member including the
following information:
• Copies of all NFPA 472 certificates
• Records of all CRD EHT skill maintenance training attended including
dates, locations, learning outcomes, and duration.
• Training records from CRD EHT member's local fire department training
in the discipline of hazardous materials response.
Each local fire department must submit to the CRD EHT all training records for
any local hazardous materials training completed by members who also serve on
the CRD EHT.
Upon leaving the CRD EHT, a member's individual training records acquired and
retained by the CRD shall be sent to the Fire Chief of the member's local fire
department. The CRD shall retain no training records for past members.
Date Approved by Committee:
Authorized Signature:
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APPENDIX A - COURSE EVALUATION FORM
CRD EHT
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS POST TRAINING EVALUATION
NAME OF
STUDENT______________________________________________________________
NAME OF
COURSE______________________________________________________________
PROVIDER_____________________________________________________________
DATE OF
COURSE______________________________________________________________
LOCATION_____________________________________________________________
Directions:
Please answer each of the following questions by circling the best answer. The majority
of questions are based on a scale of 1 through 5. The remaining are multiple choice.
1 = Poor
2 = Fair
3 = Average
4 = Very Good
5 = Excellent
1. How would you rate the class overall?
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
2. Rate the instructors class preparation.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
3. Rate the quality of the audio/visual materials.
12345
Were there any audio-visual materials used during the course that you would
recommend be added to the CRD EHT audio-visual resource library? If so, what
were they and how can we acquire a copy?
________________________________________________________________
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4. Rate the instructor's subject knowledge.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
5. Rate the instructor's use of class time.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
6. Rate the quality of the hand-outs/student manual.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
7. Rate the classroom, facilities, and location.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
8. Rate how the training meets your needs and expectations.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
9. Rate the activities for appropriateness and realism.
12345
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
10. What portion/s of the course was of most value to you?
A. Information.
B. Exercises.
C. Both A and B.
D. Other
________________________________________________________________
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
11. How did you find out about this class?
A. From your departmental training officer.
B. CRD, Team Coordinator.
C. Over the Internet.
D. Other
________________________________________________________________
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
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12. What methodology of instruction was primarily used?
A. Lecture.
B. Lecture and Audio-Visual.
C. Lecture, Audio-Visual, and Student Activities.
D. Lecture, Audio-Visual, Student Activities and Practical.
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
13. What type of final evaluation/test did you receive?
A. Written.
B. Practical.
C. Written and Practical.
D. None.
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
14. What parts of the course would you like to see changed?
A. None of it.
B. All of it.
C. Some of it. (identify below)
Comments:_____________________________________________________________
General Comments:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Team Coordinator Review Comments/Recommendations:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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