TargetSolutions recently released 14 video-based training courses showcasing NFPA® 1410 training evolutions and training drills.
Considering the fact working fires account for only 4 percent of total calls, modern-day firefighters must rely on the skills acquired through training. TargetSolutions, the industry’s leader in online continuing education for the fire service, is proud to announce the release of a 14-course bundle that showcases firefighting evolutions presented in an innovative video-based format.
The courses, written to the NFPA® 1410 training standard, aim to help firefighters complete these basic evolutions, accomplish the feat in a reasonable time, and achieve the expected outcomes. The courses also showcase NFPA 1410 drills for firefighters.
Paul Costello is a veteran paramedic, firefighter, and fire service instructor who currently serves as a training officer with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue in Florida.
Written and directed by subject matter expert and fire service instructor, Paul Costello, FF/EMT-P, the NFPA 1410 series presents students with a thorough step-by-step analysis through each of the 14 evolutions. These unique courses, displayed in high definition video, vividly demonstrate the key objectives of each drill and supplement the material with engaging interactions and voiceover narration.
The courses were shot in collaboration with the St. Charles Fire Department in St. Charles, Mo. and Pasco County Fire Rescue in Land O’ Lakes, Fla. Team members of TargetSolutions and parent company Vector Solutions were able to garner firsthand experience and witness the kind of dedication, perseverance, and teamwork needed to operate a successful battalion.
Costello, who is a 25-year veteran of the fire service, has authored numerous courses on a variety of topics, including fire leadership, ethics, and eLearning. He said he believes in empowering his students to their fullest ability and regards responding to a citizen’s call for help during a time of duress an unprecedented honor.
TargetSolutions recently had the opportunity to interview Costello on the creation process for these dynamic training courses.
Costello: "The 1410 evolutions are basic single and multi-company evolutions that have been created as a standard for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and are representative of some of the most important basic skill sets that fire companies should practice on and master because these are the bread and butter of what we do on a fireground."
Costello: "From what I have seen over the years, I’ve never seen anything of such high quality, first and foremost, in terms of the production. That by itself makes them completely unique. It’s not something that’s patch-worked together. It’s a very well thought out production from start to finish. The TargetSolutions 1410 courses address the 3 psychometric areas of importance, being cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. Cognitively the student, whether it’s a firefighter or a seasoned company officer, they are on the same page literally going through the content and understanding what it is they ‘re going to do but also why they need to do it. From the affective domain, seeing it and then understanding why they have to do it, that builds a motivation to do it because all of us as adult learners want to know why and what’s in it for me. And lastly, we provide a road map that follows the NFPA 1410 standards that they can use on the fire ground during their timed evolutions and that’s where repetition and psychomotor mastery is built."
Costello: "What we did is we expanded and expounded on the how’s and why’s and having regular everyday access in a course library to these company evolutions is going to greatly broaden the horizons for the daily company and multi-company trainings that we do in the fire service. We’ve nearly doubled the daily training of the amount of courses the company officer can do so they have a much bigger stockpile of high-quality courses to jump right into."
Costello: "Additional perks or benefits would be that the content is already pre-mapped to the ISO training buckets in TargetSolutions. They don’t have to create a new custom activity; they don’t have to create anything. It’s all there for them to take the ball and run with it."
Costello: "For me as a content writer, the experience was very enjoyable to be working on such a big project. Big in that the content creation started in February of '16 and we put a pretty big year of our lives into the project. Last summer on location in St. Charles. Great times with great firefighters and friends. Pasco County Fire also deserves a ton of credit as they came in and helped with a couple of the evolutions as well. The quality of the on-location shoot I think speaks for itself through what everyone has seen when it’s played back."
"I’ve never seen anything of such high quality, first and foremost, in terms of the production. That by itself makes them completely unique."
Paul Costello, Training Officer, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (Fla.) on TargetSolutions' NFPA® 1410 Training Series
TargetSolutions features more than 450 hours of training for fire departments. Courses are based on the NFPA codes and standards, including NFPA 1001, NFPA 1021 and the NFPA 1500 Series. Courses also cover wildland fire, response to terrorism, and much more. Learn more about the Fire Department Training solution.
