Strengthening Hands-On Skill Assessments and Pre-Learning for Firefighter Readiness | National Preparedness Month

This is the fourth post in a four-part blog series exploring essential themes for firefighter preparedness.

Firefighter training is an ongoing process that demands both mental acuity and physical preparedness. With the increasing complexities of modern emergencies, like the emergence of electrical vehicle lithium-ion batteries, it is critical for fire departments to adopt a robust training approach that integrates hands-on skill assessments with pre-learning initiatives.

Vector Solutions empowers departments to track 100-percent of training—online, in-person, and hands on—in one place with its comprehensive training and live skill management platform and mobile app.

What Kind of Training Do Firefighters Receive?

Firefighters undergo many different types of training to ensure they are equipped to handle a wide range of emergencies. This training encompasses both foundational skills, such as fire suppression and emergency medical response, and specialized techniques for dealing with complex scenarios like hazardous materials incidents and search and rescue operations. Continuous education and hands-on practice are essential, as firefighters must stay current with evolving technologies, protocols, and best practices to effectively protect their communities.

Exploring Top Firefighter Training Areas

• Fire Suppression Training: This foundational training teaches firefighters how to effectively combat different types of fires using various techniques, tools, and strategies. It includes live fire exercises, simulations, and the use of specialized equipment like hoses, ladders, and extinguishers.
• EMS Provider: Given that firefighters often first on the scene, they receive training in emergency medical services (EMS). Most firefighters are licensed Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) for basic life support, while some achieve the advanced certification of paramedic. Many states require providers to also register with the National Registry of Emergency Technicians (NREMT).
• Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Training: Firefighters are trained to handle incidents involving hazardous materials, including chemical spills, gas leaks, and biological threats. This training covers the identification, containment, and decontamination processes required to safely manage these emergencies.
• Vehicle Extrication Training: Firefighters learn how to safely extract individuals from vehicles involved in accidents. This training involves using tools like the Jaws of Life to cut through metal and other materials to reach trapped victims.
• Search and Rescue (SAR) Training: This training focuses on the techniques needed to locate and rescue individuals in perilous situations, such as collapsed buildings, confined spaces, and water rescues. SAR training is highly specialized and may include the use of advanced technology like thermal imaging cameras.
• Wildland Firefighting Training: In regions prone to wildfires, firefighters receive specialized training in managing and containing wildland fires. This includes understanding fire behavior, using controlled burns, and deploying firebreaks to protect communities.

Annual training also often includes OSHA-specific training, like bloodborne pathogens, HR training, such as sexual harassment, or other state-mandated topics. Departments in states that follow ISO standards must also ensure their training meets benchmarks in various categories.

Training management systems built for the fire service, like Vector LMS, TargetSolutions Edition, with its integrated live skills app, Vector Evaluations+, supports all essential firefighter training. Track and deliver your own training, access more than 450 hours of online firefighter courses, EMS CEUs, and other critical training for firefighters, leverage prebuilt training trackers and create your own custom bundled training plans, manage certifications, and digitize live skill assessments for total oversight and insight into crew readiness.

The Role of Hands-On Skill Assessments

While classroom instruction provides the theoretical foundation, hands-on skill assessments are where firefighters truly refine their abilities. These evaluations bridge the gap between knowledge and action, allowing firefighters to translate what they’ve learned in the classroom into real-world application. By engaging in realistic, high-pressure scenarios, firefighters can develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills necessary to make swift, life-saving decisions when it counts.

Why Live Skill Assessments are Important

• Realistic Scenario Training: Hands-on skill assessments often involve real-life simulations that mimic the challenges firefighters will face in the field. This realistic training helps firefighters develop muscle memory, improve reaction times, and enhance decision-making under pressure.
• Identifying Skill Gaps: By engaging in hands-on assessments, fire departments can identify individual and team skill gaps that might not be apparent in a classroom setting. This allows for targeted retraining to address specific weaknesses.
• Building Confidence and Competence: Repeated practice through hands-on assessments builds confidence in firefighters, ensuring they are competent in executing critical tasks. Confidence is particularly important in high-stakes situations where hesitation can mean the difference between life and death.
• Enhancing Team Coordination: Firefighting is a team effort, and live skill evaluations allow firefighters to practice working together under simulated stress conditions. This strengthens communication, trust, and teamwork—essential components for effective emergency response.

Vector Evaluations+ is designed to enhance hands-on training by streamlining processes and providing real-time assessment capabilities. Create custom, digital skill sheets and empower instructors to evaluate firefighter and EMS skills on the drill yard, capture photos and videos for review, automatically calculate scores for instant performance insights, and provide immediate feedback to accelerate skill mastery. The integration conveniently records completed assessments in TargetSolutions for total training management in one place.

The Importance of Pre-Learning Prior to Drill Yard Training

Pre-learning, which typically involves online courses, classroom instruction, videos, packets, and other resources, plays an essential role in preparing firefighters for drill yard training. It ensures that firefighters arrive with a strong theoretical foundation, enabling them to focus on refining practical skills during hands-on exercises. This preparation not only maximizes the efficiency of drill yard training but also enhances overall learning outcomes by allowing firefighters to engage more deeply with the material in real-world scenarios.

Top Reasons Why Pre-Learning is Indispensable

• Foundational Knowledge: Pre-learning ensures that all firefighters have a baseline understanding of the concepts, techniques, and procedures they will be practicing in the field. This foundational knowledge is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of drill yard training.
• Time Efficiency: When firefighters arrive at the drill yard with pre-learned knowledge, there is less time spent on instruction and more time available for practical application. This increases the overall efficiency of the training process.
• Retention and Reinforcement: Pre-learning helps reinforce important concepts before they are put into practice. This dual approach—first learning the theory, then applying it—significantly improves knowledge retention and skill proficiency.
• Self-Paced Learning: Online blended learning allows firefighters to absorb information at their own pace, ensuring they fully understand the material before moving on to practical exercises. This personalized learning approach can lead to better outcomes in hands-on assessments.

Vector LMS, TargetSolutions Edition, is a sophisticated training management platform that helps departments reinforce critical concepts with anytime access to training content and materials, overcome classroom logistic headaches with online courses, reduce admin time and increase hands-on training time with purpose-built technology designed to streamline training processes.

One-Stop Training Management Boosts Firefighter Preparedness

Continuous training is key to ensuring readiness for any emergency. By integrating hands-on skill assessments with a blended learning approach, fire departments can equip their teams with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to excel in the field. This holistic approach not only enhances individual firefighter competence but also strengthens team dynamics, ultimately leading to safer and more effective emergency responses.

Request a demo to see how Vector’s best-in-class training management platform and integrated live skills assessment app can help ensure your crews receive comprehensive training, and your administrators have total insight into every aspect of firefighter preparedness.

Read more from our National Preparedness Month blog series:

• A Holistic Approach to Addressing Firefighter Health and Wellness | National Preparedness Month
• Ensuring Equipment and Inventory Readiness in the Fire Service | National Preparedness Month
• Effectively Navigating Fire Department Staffing for Emergency Situations | National Preparedness Month