Ground Cover Firefighting for Structural Firefighters | Newfoundland and Labrador

Course Summary

Ground Cover Firefighting for Structural Firefighters

16 Hours | Maximum 20 Participants | In-Person Delivery 

Delivery: Instructor-led classroom instruction combined with practical communications exercises and scenario-based training

Location: On-site at your fire department

Assessment: Course assessment and practical skills evaluation

Class Size: Maximum 20 participants

Format: Theory • Demonstration • Practical Skills • Scenario-Based Training • Assessment 

Course Description

Ground Cover Firefighting for Structural Firefighters provides structural firefighters with the knowledge and practical skills required to safely respond to ground cover fires and wildland-urban interface (WUI) incidents. This comprehensive program combines classroom instruction with hands-on practical training to prepare firefighters for the unique hazards and operational challenges associated with fires involving grass, brush, forest fuels, and other ground cover.

Developed through collaboration between the Newfoundland and Labrador Fire Services Division (FSD), the Manitoba Fire Commissioners Office (MFCO), and the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands, this course is specifically designed to help structural firefighters apply their existing emergency response skills to ground cover and wildland-urban interface incidents.

Instruction combines practical exercises and realistic fire scenarios that emphasize firefighter safety, fire behaviour, situational awareness, effective suppression tactics, water supply, equipment selection, and coordinated operations when responding to ground cover fires and WUI emergencies.

What You'll Learn

• Ground cover fire behaviour and development

• Types of ground cover fires

• Fuel characteristics and fuel continuity

• Effects of weather and topography on fire behaviour

• Wildland-urban interface (WUI) hazards

• Firefighter safety and situational awareness

• Risk assessment and operational decision-making

• Incident size-up and fire behaviour assessment

• Ground cover firefighting equipment

• Hand tools and portable equipment

• Hose lines and water application

• Portable pumps and water supply

• Ground cover fire suppression tactics

• Direct and indirect suppression techniques

• Establishing and maintaining control lines

• Coordinating structural and ground cover firefighting operations

• Protecting structures threatened by ground cover fires

• Structure protection considerations in the WUI

• Crew deployment and tactical resource management

• Communications and coordination with forestry resources

• Incident command considerations

• Changing fire behaviour and operational conditions

• Firefighter accountability and emergency procedures

• Post-fire considerations and mop-up operations

Who Should Attend?

This course is intended for structural firefighters who may be required to respond to ground cover fires, wildland-urban interface incidents, or fires threatening structures and communities.

• Career and volunteer firefighters

• Fire officers and incident commanders

• Fire department members responding to ground cover fires

• Structural firefighters working in rural and forested communities

• Firefighters operating in wildland-urban interface areas

• Fire department members seeking practical ground cover firefighting training

• Departments seeking to strengthen their WUI and ground cover firefighting capabilities

Course Duration

Course duration varies based on the delivery format and Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) requirements.

Training may be delivered as:

• Weekend delivery available

• Customized delivery for fire departments

Contact Rescue Education to discuss scheduling options.

Prerequisites

Participants must:

• Complete a Liability Waiver

• Complete a Fire Services Division (FSD) Application Form

• Complete a Rescue Education Consulting and Training Registration Form

Certification Process

Participants who successfully complete the Ground Cover Firefighting for Structural Firefighters training program will have met or exceeded the training requirements and will be issued a certificate of completion from the Fire Services Division (FSD) of Newfoundland and Labrador.