April 12-16, 2025 | Penticton, B.C.

The Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit acknowledges with gratitude that the event is taking place on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.



TRAINING PROGRAM

OPERATIONS COURSES | APRIL 12-13


S-231 Engine Boss (ENGB) – 1 DAY (Saturday or Sunday)

Prerequisite courses:

  • Wildland Fire Fighter-1 (WFF1) or S-100/S-185
  • ICS 100
  • ICS 200 is recommended.
  • S290 – Intermediate Wildland Fire Behaviour is recommended
  • Wildland Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide Municipal Firefighters the skills and knowledge needed to perform in the position of Engine Boss (ENGB) at provincial wildfire deployments. Topics include position overview; pre-deployment responsibilities; concept of the position; pre-dispatch preparation; incident responsibilities; administration; supervision; response; assignment; demobilization; tactics and safety; risk management; entrapment avoidance; wildland urban interface; case studies; scenarios; appropriate action vs. freelancing.

Course Structure:

The ENGB course, is a 16-hour course (8 hours online and 8 hours field work) designed to meet the training needs of an Engine Boss.  The ENGB leads a single fire engine and attached personnel and is responsible for the crew's safety on Provincial wildland fire events. The ENGB supervises assigned engine and personnel and reports to a Staging Manager (STAM), Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN), Task Force Leader (TFLD), Incident Commander (IC), or another assigned supervisor. The ENGB works in the operations functional area when requested by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS). 

Course Learning Objectives:

  • Pre-Deployment Responsibilities
    • Concept of ENGB
    • Pre-deployment preparations
  • ENGB Responsibilities
    • ENGB Response/Leadership
    • Safety
    • Administration
    • Supervision
    • Assignment/Status/ICS
    • Demobilization
    • Operational Period
  • Tactics and Safety
    • Risk Management
    • Entrapment
    • Tactical Structure Defense Considerations – WUI
    • Appropriate Action

Large Water Supply Operations (Structure Protection) – 1 DAY (Saturday or Sunday)

Prerequisites:

  • Wildland Fire Fighter-1 (WFF1) or S-100/S-185
  • Wildland Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Course Description:

At large scale fires or disasters the problem always is the water supply; access, distance, and staff required. This course is designed to provide participants with enhanced understanding of the application of large water delivery system in the field. Incorporating this knowledge into structure defense plans and other field operations provides Fire Officers and Fire Fighters with greater capability and capacity supporting suppression operations.

Course Structure:

The Large Water Supply Operations course is a one-day/8-hour course.

Course Learning Objectives:

Both field demonstration and hands-on learning will be provided on the Trident large water supply system:

Trident Community Protection System. BCWS is proud to manage a fleet of four (4) Trident Community Protection Systems to support wildfire, structure defense, and structure protection operations. Trident Pump Inc has developed a 1,250 gpm high volume pump and hose deployment system that can be mounted on UTV’s. This system has the ability to draft water from any area that is accessible by a quad. The hose deploying system is specifically designed for speed. A crew of four BCWS members can set up a 1.6 km 4” mainline and start drafting water in under 2 hours. The system comes complete with water thieves that can be installed at 200’ intervals and all accessories needed to set up a sprinkler line with a spacing of 100’ and an overlap of 30’ on each sprinkler for a total distance of 2,000’. The system can run an additional 20 high volume sprinklers, for a total 4,000’ wall of water. 75 gpm fire nozzles attached to handlines can be operated while the sprinkler system is activated. A dual tender fill with a steady flow of 500 gpm can also be assembled up to a mile away from the pump. This system was designed to be a portable fire hydrant.


Wildfire Operations ‘Boots on the Ground’ – 2 DAYS

Prerequisites:

  • S-100 Basic Fire Suppression and Safety is recommended.
  • S-185 Fire Entrapment Avoidance & Safety is recommended.
  • Wildland Fire Fighter-1 (WFF1) is recommended.
  • ICS 100 is recommended.
  • Wildland PPE, Personal Fireline Pack, Personal Hand tool.

Course Description:

Always a sold out program and delivered by the BC Wildfire personnel. This year, instruction would be co-delivered by staff from the Fraser Fire Zone and the Penticton Fire Zone.  This program will focus on what has changed in Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting Operations, Innovative Tactics, Safe Practices and current Water Delivery Methods.

Course Structure:

This two-day/16-hour mix of field exercises, WUI scenarios, gear innovations, demos and field training will be targeted to ensure WUI operational consistency between agencies during an expanding interface incident.

The target audience for this session is operational level fire fighters with an appetite to master boots on the ground skills, who love getting dirty doing it, and who don’t mind putting in the sweat to push the pace. Come walk the talk….

** Wildland PPE Required for all Filed Training Exercises (FTX). *Weather Dependent.

Course Learning Objectives:

  • Learn and perform the necessary skills during incident stabilization.
  • Decision making during the first operational period.
  • Google Earth WUI Scenario – first operational period realities and hazards.
  • Safety briefings – good vs bad / LACES.
  • Common engine crew errors – WUI “watch out” situations.
  • Wildland phases of control / tactical decision pros & cons / defendable ground.
  • Danger trees / falling – Recognize the hazard.
  • Building containment lines – who’s doing what? – know your role / know the goal.
  • WUI water delivery – do’s and don’ts – progressive hose lays.
  • Technology assets and apps in the WUI.


Wildland Fire Fighter-1 ‘Train the Trainer’ – 2 DAYS

Prerequisites:

  • Wildland Fire Fighter-1 (WFF1) or S100/S185
  • Fire Service Instructor Level-1 or equivalent
  • Exterior Operations Level Firefighter (Minimum)
  • Five years experience as a firefighter is recommended
  • SPP115 is recommended.
  • ICS-100 is recommended.
  • Previous field experience on BCWS deployment is recommended
  • Wildland Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Course Description:

This course is designed to train local trainers and instructors on how to teach the Wildland Firefighter Level 1 training course. For provincial deployment to a wildfire incident structural firefighters must have either completed the WSPP-WFF1 workshop or the S-100 (Basic Fire Suppression and Safety) and S-185 (Fire Entrapment Avoidance and Safety).

Course Structure:

The Wildland Fire Fighter -1 (WFF1) is a two-day/16-hours ‘Train the Trainer’ course. Participants will be qualified to instruct the Wildland Fire Fighter-1 course to meet BCWS standards.

Course delivery is approximately 50% classroom, 50% practical.

Course Learning Objectives:

  • Prepare students to instruct the WSPP-WFF1 to fire department members.
  • Provide basic understanding of the wildland urban environment.
  • Provide knowledge to keep firefighters safe when responding to wildfire incidents.
  • Effective communication at a wildland incident.
  • Portable pump operations and hose lays.
  • Introduction to wildland fire behaviour and weather.
  • Strategies and tactics for firefighting in the wildland.
  • Fire entrapment avoidance and safety.


Wildland Structure Protection Program (WSPP-115) – 2 DAYS

Prerequisites:                                                                      

  • Wildland Fire Fighter-1 (WFF1) or S-100/S-185
  • ICS 100 is recommended
  • Wildland Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Course Description:

This course is taught to Structural Firefighters, British Columbia Wildfire Service Firefighters and Contractors throughout the Province utilizing FireSmart principles along with sprinkler applications. This workshop is a prerequisite for all structural firefighters to be deployed and participate on Structure Protection Crews.

Course Structure:

The WSPP-115 is delivered over two-days/16-hours. The course covers Installation and application of sprinklers on structures using wildfire pumps, hose/fire service hose and hydrants to assist in preventing the structure from igniting when wildfire approaches. This technique creates a humidity bubble over the structure and dampens flammable materials within the home ignition zone.

Course delivery is approximately 40% classroom and 60 % practical exercises. Qualification is valid for 5 years.

Course Learning Objectives:

  • Safe work practices in the Wildland Urban Interface.
  • Equipment and personal items required for deployment.
  • Triage of structures and completion of required paperwork.
  • Overview of equipment inventory in Type 1 and Type 2 Structure Protection Units (SPU).
  • FireSmart principles for structure protection.
  • Portable pump operation and troubleshooting.
  • Hose lays and sprinkler selection and placement.
  • Tactical response before, during, and after fire impingement.
  • How to deliver an effective crew briefing.



EVENT

Wildfire Resiliency and Training Summit 2025


ADDRESS

Penticton Lakeside Resort & Conference Centre
21 Lakeshore Dr W
Penticton, BC  V2A 7M5

wrts@pacegroup.com

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