South East Regional Employee Development Group
Recommendations on Phase 1 training courses
Background
This workstream has evolved from the ATMAANA report on training activities
in the South East Region, commissioned several years ago. Phase 1 Trainees
courses have been identified as one of the 4 priorities by the SE Employee
Development sub group for 2007-08. This report sets out the
recommendations made a working group tasked with looking specifically at
this issue. The working group was principally made up from representatives of
the following Fire Authorities : Kent
 Oxfordshire
 Hampshire
although the views of the others in the Region have been sought and used in
this report.
Since the closure of the Wray Park training facility in Surrey, the 3 Authorities
listed above have lead on Phase 1 training in the Region and they were
therefore invited to contribute to the working group, to ensure that the best of
all 3 providers was included and that wherever possible, a consensus of the
course content and delivery was achieved. Both Kent and Hampshire run
their own Phase 1 training courses, using their own training facilities but have
in the past, offered places to other Fire Authorities’ trainees. Oxfordshire are
the lead Authority for a Phase 1 Trainees Consortium that is based at the Fire
Service College at Moreton in Marsh. The other Consortium members are : Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire & Rescue Service
 Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service
 Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Fire & Rescue Service
The Consortium therefore contains members outside the South East Region.
They also offer spare places to other Authorities both within the South East
Region and outside it eg East Sussex, Gibraltar.
The working group focussed on the following areas : Course content
 Assessment methods
 Quality Assurance and standards
 Comparison with other providers outside the Region
 Costs involved using a training cost model ( see below )
Assumptions and agreements
In order to provide a set of recommendations that would provide a basis for
the highest level of Phase 1 training, the working group agreed a number of
issues beforehand.
The aims of the working group were agreed as : To try to standardise the contents of all Phase 1 Trainee courses used
in or by the South East Region
 To produce a best practice model for the Region to use for all Phase 1
training
 To compare the courses in South East with those provided by others
outside the Region
 To compare costs of the best practice model with those of other
providers
 To apply a QA process to the best practice model
Several principles were agreed and these were used throughout the project
as the basis of all recommendations : All course contents must be useable by both Wholetime and Retained
personnel albeit that the delivery methods may differ.
 This work should be considered “best practice” in the South East
region for all Phase 1 activities. It will be strongly recommended that
Brigades adopt this but they will be given flexibility to adapt or amend
these contents or the delivery at their own risk.
 The length of the course and content should be dictated by the
outcomes required, rather than the time currently available or set aside
for Trainees courses.
 There can and it is expected that there will be, differences in how the
courses are delivered within Brigades but the outcomes must be
identical and match the learning outcomes set for each area.
 There will be a set of learning outcomes for each area of the course
and these will be cross mapped to the National Occupational
Standards and IPDS.
 Some areas will not be applicable to all Brigades and where this occurs
they retain the option to omit this area eg marine firefighting
procedures are not applicable to inland Authorities. However, if this
area is included eg at a later date, as a result of a change of policy etc,
it is expected that it will match the recommendations of the final report.
 The aim for the course will be to adopt a modular approach wherever
possible, to aid delivery to both Wholetime and Retained personnel and
that the Hants F&RS system currently in use, will be used as the
baseline to build upon.
 Consideration of the use of e-learning and other learning opportunities
will be made wherever possible and practicable.
 A recommendation regarding the improved use of Induction modules,
that are useable by all staff ie uniformed and non uniformed, will be
included, to maximise actual practical and theoretical training time
available during a course.
 Standardised assessment criteria, recording formats and question
banks will be created for use by all Brigades. This will assist inter
Brigade transfers where they arise.
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Lesson plans and unit content will be compared, discussed and
combined to enable best practice training packages to be produced for
use by those wishing to do so eg PowerPoint presentations.
Instructor to student ratios will be set at 1 instructor per 6 students.
Costings and comparison with others
It was noted that another South East Regional workstream is developing a
suitable costing model for training and although we have costs from other
providers outside the Region, it is difficult to compare like with like, as the
details are not fully available to us and various important costs have often
been excluded eg cost of facilities used, instructor costs etc. Once the cost
model is agreed, this will be applied to our recommendations.
Specifics
It was noted and accepted that there are a wide range of policies and
procedures in use by each of the 9 Brigades, even where there is National
guidance. This is also true of equipment used and whether this is available to
all personnel or only some eg differences between what Wholetime and
Retained are able to do within a Brigade. It was agreed that this could be
catered for within the recommendations.
The following areas were discussed and agreed :Fitness
There was no agreed use of fitness training or standards between the
Brigades. Some included programmed fitness sessions whilst others used the
course contents and its physical nature to raise and maintain fitness
standards. Not all Brigades had fitness advisors within their Training Centre
staff. It was agreed that if it is to be included, then the best approach would be
to include fitness tests based on the National “ Output tests “ ( from National
Firefighter Selection Tests – NFST’s ), as the use of other tests are not
standardised eg bleep tests have different pass marks in each Brigade, as
does the Chester step test. The inclusion of such tests would be time
consuming and it was estimated that it would take one day to complete
(based on Hants FRS experience), each time that it was used for a Phase 1
course.
It was agreed that this area needed to be discussed further ( via the
Occupational Health working group from SEHRDG ) but that general health
and wellbeing, nutrition guidance and access to fitness equipment should be
included in any course. A possible addition could be provision of pre-course
fitness programmes for all students. It was noted that there have been
problems in all Brigades with a lack of upper body strength (in particular) and
height, particularly following the introduction of the NFST’s. This causes
problems during a course. The recommendation will be that the use of output
tests in accordance with NFST will be used during a Phase 1 course.
Foundation Module
It was agreed that this module should be the first to be taken by all students
and should be designed so that at the end of it, the student can be deemed
“safe to ride“. This term is used to identify the basic tasks on the fireground o
that a Firefighter would be able to safely carry out, under supervision or
guidance. To achieve this, it was agreed that there is a need to manage the
expectations of OIC’s when the individuals first arrive back on station – there
is currently an expectation that the individual will be able to do a lot more
tasks and with a higher degree of competence than can possibly be achieved
in the time available.
A further complication is that a number of areas that are covered in this
module, are what could be termed generic issues eg Representative Bodies
input, pensions, Brigade structure, discipline and grievances, Benevolent
Fund, etc. Each of these, whilst important, reduce the amount of time for
practical and theoretical firefighter training and it was agreed that these
should be removed from the Module and placed in the Induction module,
which should be run prior to the Foundation module. A number of these areas
may also lend themselves to e-delivery, possibly before the Phase 1 course
starts or by other Fire & Rescue staff ie not training instructors.
Induction module
To maximise the time available for firefighting skills training, it was agreed that
the following elements should be included in an Induction module, ideally run
before the rest of the course :
H&S – RSPH certificate – approximately 1 day in total to achieve input
and exam
 Manual handling
 Equality & Diversity
 Corporate issues including IT issues
To be run over 2 days
 Fireground safety issues
 PPE – issue and instruction
 Safe person concept and issues
To be run over 1 day
There will be a range of different options offered to match the needs for
Induction training in each Brigade but any non practical and Corporate
issues should be included in the Induction module rather than the Phase 1
course itself.
Brigade familiarisation
It was also noted that each Brigade runs a number of sessions after the
Phase 1 course that are used to familiarise the students with the day to
day running of the duty system and / or any equipment or procedures not
specifically covered during their Phase 1 course. An example would be the
need for Royal Berkshire students being provided with specific input on
Road Traffic Collision cutting equipment, as the equipment they may have
used on the Phase 1 course at Hampshire’s Training Centre was that used
by Hampshire rather than their own. Whilst attempts are made to avoid
these differences, this is not always possible eg there may be several
different Brigades attending any one course and it is not practicable for all
variants of the equipment to be used. The principles of use are the same
and are covered in the course but there may be a need to cover specific
safety or use issues, once a student returns to Brigade.
It was agreed that such issues would fall outside the remit of this report but
must be considered by each Brigade when applying the recommendations.
Modular approach
The modular approach has been recommended to ensure that a Phase 1
course is and remains as accessible as possible, to all Fire & Rescue
Service personnel, regardless of the duty system they are to follow.
Currently, Retained Duty System ( RDS ) staff are disadvantaged by the
continuous nature of the Phase 1 course. It is very rarely possible for RDS
personnel to attend a course longer than 2 weeks in duration. This is
principally due to their inability to be released by their primary employer for
such a long period. Some RDS staff are able and willing to use annual
leave entitlements or to take unpaid leave, in order to attend courses but
achieving 11+ weeks of continuous attendance is virtually impossible.
By adopting the modular approach, RDS staff can take the relevant
modules at a time suitable to them. This approach does not however,
come without it’s own potential issues : There needs to be consideration given to the order in which these
modules are taken, as there are often competence issues
associated with this eg it may be necessary to obtain competence
in the basic skills such as pump operation and ladder use before
progressing to more complex scenarios using this equipment or it
may be necessary to have a theoretical understanding of a piece of
equipment or procedure before using it practically. This will mean
that it is not possible to take modules in any random order although
flexibility can be built in to some extent.
 Wherever flexibility in undertaking modules is provided, there will
need to be co-ordination of this process to ensure that it matches
the needs of the individual and the Service. An example would be
the need to provide enough of each module annually, to ensure that
an individual is able to make satisfactory progress towards
completing the course. This brings with it issues for each Service in
that they will need to run / offer several courses each year and
these may then not be attended by enough personnel to make them
viable as a course. If an individual is unable to attend the requisite
courses within a certain time period, they may be unable to
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maintain competence in the skills they have learnt and then to apply
these in more complex situations.
One solution to this could be the use of modules in other Brigades
as the content will be identical. This may require accommodation to
be provided by this is achievable.
The modules recommended are as follows :Module Title
A
Safe to ride
Units 1- BTEC 3
6
award **
B
BA
C
1st aid and
trauma care
D
RTC’s and
Hazmat
E
Operational
Scenarios
F
Working at
height
G
Advanced
pumps and
ladders
H
Assessment
Content
Basic skills to ensure an
individual is able to carry out
basic tasks on the fire ground
Theoretical and underpinning
knowledge and understanding
Basic Breathing Apparatus use
and procedures and Fire
Behaviour Training
First Aid at Work certificate and
a 2 day trauma care package
designed to deal with the
casualty care in an operational
environment
Road traffic collision basic
skills.
Hazardous materials –
information gathering, dealing
with a spillage,
decontamination procedures
This module is designed to
allow the students to put into
practice, a number of the skills
that they have acquired during
the course, to deal with a range
of simulated operational
incidents
This module will allow students
to acquire the necessary skills
and knowledge to be able to
carry out tasks at height and in
compliance with the relevant
legislation
This module will allow students
to become proficient in the use
of all ladders and as a pump
operator
This module will allow the
student to demonstrate that
they have the appropriate level
of skills and knowledge and
identify any training and
Duration
5 days
30 days
12 days
6 days
5 days
Min 10 days
Max 15 days –
split to allow some
to be carried out
mid course and
others to be in last
week(s)
2-3 days
dependant on role
required ie Fall
Arrest, Work
Restraint or Work
Positioning
3 days
1-2 days
development needs.
Agreed content of Module A – ‘Safe to ride module’
Duration – 5 days
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Preliminary drills
o Drills PD1- PD4 * inclusive
o Drill T1
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Pumps – major
Drills P1- P6 ie
o Working from a pressure fed supply
o Working from a tank supply
o Not open water or LPP use
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Hose –
Drills H1-H5 and PL1-PL2 ie
o Run out / make up – hosereel / 45 mm / 70mm hose
o Replace burst length
o Add a length
o Connect to a hydrant
o Get a line of hose to work from aloft setting up not use from a
ladder
o Branch use
o Branch out of control – theory only no practical aspect
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Ladders – all types carried
Drills PDL and L1 to L3 inclusive ie
o All positions on ladders including slipping, restowing and
pitching
o Climb safely
o Mount / dismount
o Take leg lock
o Splitting a 9m / 10.5 m ladder
o Not roof ladder use
o Not over an obstruction or confined space use or bridging
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RTC –
o Coning off and vehicle / sign / warning lighting positioning
o Personal safety eg hi viz jackets, cordon awareness,
dismounting appliance on roadways, PPE use
o Scene safety – hosereel / firefighting media provision
o Hydraulic tool safety cordon awareness – Drill T11
o Glass management basic skills
o Stabilisation basics – Drills T8 & T9
o Not use of hydraulic tools
o Not Safety Officer role
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Knots and lines / ropes o Clove hitch
o Rolling hitch
o Round turn and 2 half hitches
o Double sheet bend
o Bowline
o Overhand knot
To allow individual to help haul items aloft and tie off hose etc
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Water skills –
o Lifejacket / buoyancy aid use
o “Talk, throw, reach” techniques
o Throwline use
o Hose inflation kit use
o Water awareness
o Not water entry of any kind including wading in water of any
depth
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ICS –
o Level 1 skills basic dynamic risk assessment
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Working at height o Working at heights basics ie how to fit a harness, when to wear,
theory / legislation
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Personal development / IPDS
o Basics on expectations of a firefighter, the National Core Values
including self development and how IPDS works
* taken from the Fire Service Manual Volume 4 Fire Service Training
1st aid
It was agreed that this would be omitted from the Foundation module although
this may cause Kent FRS ( and potentially others ) a problem in meeting the
legislative needs in the short term. 1st Aid will be omitted from the Module A
recommendations. Kent FRS to discuss locally and risk assess
outcomes.
Units 1-6
Hants have linked 6 units to a BTEC 3 award ( Level 3 Certificate in
Emergency Fire Services Operations in the Community). It was agreed that
this would be an award that would be of benefit to all and that it could be
achieved in any order ie Unit 3 could be done before Unit 1, as they are not
interdependent on each other. By following the recommended course content,
it should be possible to achieve a BTEC 3 award, however currently, this
route is not adopted within the Region due to the administrative burden
involved for the individuals and the Brigades.
Unit 1 – CFS
As CFS is included in the NOS’s for a Firefighter ( as an optional Unit ), some
Brigades use the completion of the Unit as the trigger to change from Trainee
to Development rate of pay. It will also reflect the wider role of FRS’s in
Community Safety rather than just Fire Safety. CFS teams in a number of
Brigades were contacted and have provided the group with their
recommended course content and duration. It was agreed that 2 days are
required to deliver the CFS content to Trainees. The content will include : History of CFS – “Safe as Houses” etc and current legislation and
guidance relating to CFS
 National campaigns / Unit and CFS team organisation within Brigade
 How CFS work is generated – understanding your local communities
and target groups including local statistics
 How the message is delivered to all groups, including the importance of
partnerships
 Recording processes
 Smoke detector types ( so that they can advise public ) and fitting
procedures within Brigade
 Key messages – including leaflets / National toolkits
 Optional areas - Business advice / Firesetter intervention / arson prevention and reduction / child protection issues
 Home Fire Risk assessments – content and procedures
 Presentation skills – planning a presentation and techniques to get
messages across to audience
Unit 2 – Personal and organisational development of a Firefighter
It was agreed that a number of the elements of this Unit could be incorporated
in Induction units eg Equality and Diversity, IT introduction ( gaining
passwords / access to systems / log ins ), employee relations, Union input etc.
The need for providing Firefighters with skills in presentation and delivery
should be included somewhere within Phase 1 as these will be needed when
they arrive on Station eg for CFS activities, to deliver theoretical sessions to
Watches as part of their development ( application phase ). Fitness and
wellbeing has traditionally been included here, as has IPDS and personal
development issues. These will be dealt with as indicated above.
The recommended content of this Unit should include the following :
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Basic presentation skills
IRMP issues relating to the legislation and the Brigades own priorities
Fitness and wellbeing input – healthy eating, fitness programmes and
testing
IPDS and personal development
Units 3-6 – Hazards and risks in operations / Fire operations / Incidents
involving buildings, structures and aircraft / Support effectiveness of
operational response
These units are effectively the practical and theoretical input relating to the
risks in each Brigade – some are generic ie that all Brigades would wish to
include but others are specific to a smaller number of Brigades eg shipping,
aircraft, PPV etc.
It was agreed that a range of elements would be offered for Brigades to pick
and choose from but with the standards to be achieved, learning outcomes
and training packages agreed Regionally and achieved via the combination of
all Regional resources eg the pooling and amalgamation of relevant training
packages on a subject, to achieve a best practice one that all can use.
The Unit content will include the following :Fire
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Chemistry of combustion
Fire development and growth
Compartment fires including flashover and backdraught
Use of fire extinguishers
Tactical ventilation / PPV ( where relevant )
Use of foam ( appropriate to equipment carried )
Dealing with Hazardous materials and decontamination procedures
 Hazardous materials – Classes 1-9
 Asbestos and MMMF
 Vehicle / transport , packaging and markings and information carried
 CHALET and related messages and information dissemination
including CHEMET.
 Approach and set up of zones and cordons
 Electrical hazards / cryogens / agrochemicals and pesticides
 Decontamination procedures – emergency, Fire Service personnel,
other Emergency services, mass / public
 Dealing with leaks and spillages
 Environmental protection equipment and procedures
ICS
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Dynamic risk assessment
Command ‘decision making model’
Spans of control
specialist officers roles
Role of Command support
Sectorisation of an incident
Analytical risk assessments
Liaison with other Emergency services and Agencies
Powers of entry and cordons
Tactical modes
Transport incidents
 Railway procedures
 Aircraft rescues and firefighting procedures – civil and military
 Marine / shipping incidents ( where relevant )
Incidents in the open air
 Vehicle fires
 Rural firefighting including heath land / grassland / forestry fires
Buildings and building construction
 Signs and symptoms of collapse
 Modern building materials and their reaction to fire
 The reaction and properties of traditional building materials to fire
 Doors, staircases and windows
 Collapsed structures
 Lifts and escalators – design and rescues from
 Fire suppression systems
 Automatic fire detection systems and fire alarms
 Fire resisting construction – methods and uses
Miscellaneous
The following areas should also be covered ( where applicable ) : Sewer rescues
 Salvage activities
 Silo rescues
 Urban Search and Rescue ( USAR )
 Specialist vehicles
 7.2(d) information
 Water supplies and hydrants
 Inter – Agency working
 Communication methods and messages
 Basic technical fire safety eg Fire Safety Order / RRO
 Fire & Rescue Service Act, 2004
At the end of these Units, a firefighter will be able to demonstrate the
appropriate skills and knowledge in each of the areas above.
Module B – BA
Module C – 1st aid and trauma care
Module D – RTA’s and Hazmats
Module E – Scenarios
Module B – BA
A discussion took place regarding the use of guidelines and the training for
their use. Whist Oxfordshire have recently taken the decision to remove the
laying of BA guidelines from Retained personnel’s training requirement ie they
are not allowed to lay a BA guideline but they are expected to follow and
search off, it was agreed that their use would be included in the SE Phase 1
training course.
Training outcomes will be in full accordance with TB 1/97 ( currently, or any
future relevant National guidance on BA ). Brigades that do not follow this
National guidance fully will be able to adjust their Phase 1 training to match
these policies.
Module B will be of 12 days duration and will included BA procedures and use
and Fire Behaviour Training (FBT).
At the end of Module B of the Phase 1 course, the Trainee will be able to : Describe the passage of air through a BA set
 Describe the design of the BA set
 Don and remove a BA set
 Carry out the relevant pre-use checks, standard tests, after use checks
and servicing of a BA set, including changing a BA cylinder
 Wear a BA set in a range of conditions including heat, smoke, varied
conditions and open air
 Search an area effectively whilst wearing a BA set
 Lay a BA main guideline
 Lay a BA branch line and connect it correctly to a main guideline
 Search off a BA guideline and branch line using appropriate and
recognised techniques
 Use the ‘buddy breathing’ system on the BA set ( where provided )
 Demonstrate an understanding of TB 1/97 and it’s related procedures
including :o the requirements of the individual wearer,
o Stage1 and Stage 2 procedures
o BAECO duties under Stages 1 and 2
o Duties of BA Main Control
o BA emergency procedures
o Rapid deployment procedures
o Duties of a BA team leader
o Emergency teams and equipment
o Working as a BA team
o Procedures for wearers in distress
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communicate effectively whilst wearing BA
Move safely up and down ladders and stairways
Move safely through doorways and around obstructions
Demonstrate correct Gas tight suit wearing / procedures
The BA phase will last 10 days. To complete Module B, it will be followed by
a 2 day Fire Behaviour Training module, at the end of which, the Trainee will
be able to : Demonstrate the correct techniques to cool a gas layer in a fire
 Describe the development of a flashover and backdraught
 Describe the signs and symptoms of a backdraught and flashover
 Experience and describe the development and growth of a fire
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Demonstrate correct doorway entry procedures
Demonstrate an understanding of the neutral pane and the effects
made on it by Firefighters actions or inactions.
Demonstrate the actions to be taken to minimise the risk of a flashover
or backdraught occurring
Module C – 1st aid and trauma training
This module will last for 6 days in total, made up of 4 days First Aid at Work
Certificate course, followed by a 2 day trauma care course. The courses can
be provided by either internal, suitably qualified personnel or an outside
provider such as Red Cross, St.John Ambulance, local Ambulance Trust etc.
The trauma course will provide firefighters with the skills to correctly : Use a spine board
 Use a neck collar
 Use oxygen therapy
 Administer first aid to a casualty in a hazardous situation
 Deal effectively with trauma injuries at operational incidents until the
arrival of suitably trained medical staff
 Recognise the effect that their actions / inactions may have at an
operational incident with regard to the improvement or deterioration of
the medical condition of the casualty
Module D – Road Traffic Collision (RTC) procedures and equipment
At the end of this module, a firefighter with be able to demonstrate the
following skills and knowledge : The role of a safety officer at a RTC
 Coning and fending off on a minor and major road and a Motorway,
including the placing of suitable signage and lighting
 Use of RTC cutting, spreading and pulling equipment, including
knowledge of the risks associated with their use to the user and those
in the immediate area
 Use of ancillary RTC equipment pertinent to the Brigade eg airbags,
tirfor winch, reciprocating saws etc
 Glass management techniques
 Stabilisation of vehicles
 Casualty care and protection whilst Fire & Rescue Service operations
are in progress
 Interactions with other agencies at the scene of a RTC
 Maintenance and testing of RTC equipment
 Extrication techniques
 Vehicle technology including safety features and hazards
 How to deal with larger vehicle RTC’s and the additional risks involved
in such incidents
All inputs will be based on the National RTC Manual.
Module E – Scenario based training
This module is designed to put into practice, all of the skills and knowledge
learnt in the previous modules and to develop these basic skills into advanced
skill levels, in subject areas such as pumps and ladders.
At the end of this Module, the Trainees will be able to : work from height using hose / hosereel
 deal with fires and searching for / rescuing casualties from a range of
buildings and situations
 deal with hazmat scenarios – identifying substances, dealing with
substances, decontamination procedures, clear up operations,
protecting the environment from contamination
 demonstrate a knowledge of CCBRN issues and procedures including
simple decontamination procedures
 Deal with High rise fires
 Use correct operational radio procedures – including hand held radios
 Carry out ship firefighting techniques ( where applicable )
This module will be a minimum of 10 days and a maximum of 15 days
Working at height
This will form it’s own module as it is so important to all Fire & Rescue Service
operations and is covered by specific legislation. Each Brigade will have it’s
own policy on how the requirements are applied eg some will not train RDS
staff due to the ongoing training/ maintenance of competence implications,
however it is considered that even in such situations, it is necessary for all
personnel to have at least an awareness of the legislation and what can /
can’t be done during training and at operational incidents.
Dependant on the Level to which a Brigade operates, 1 day should be
allocated during Phase 1 for each Level ie Level 1 ( Fall arrest ) will require 1
day, Level 2 ( Work restraint ) – 2 days and Level 3 ( Work positioning ) – 3
days.
Advanced pumps and ladders
This will be a 3 day module.
At the end of the module, a Trainee will be able to demonstrate to an
acceptable standard the following skills : advanced pump and rescue drills / use – Drills P7, P10, T2, T4, T6, T7,
 Use of a roof ladder
 Use of a short extension ladder including how to create an improvised
step ladder
 Pitch a 13.5 metre ladder over an obstruction – Drill L4
 Pitch a 13.5 metre ladder in a confined space – Drill L5
 Prime and operate a LPP and major pump – Drills P8, P9 and P11
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Alternative priming methods
Recognise and correct basic pump faults
Understand and react correctly to, the gauge readings on a LPP and
major pump
Pumping from open water sources including connecting / disconnecting
suction hose
setting up and working within water relays
Assessment methods
Assessment will be applied throughout the course and will be via the use of
the following methods : practical tests of skills and techniques
 written tests using a combination of multi-choice questions and longer
answers, where a greater level of knowledge and understanding is
required. The questions for both will be taken from a Regional question
bank covering all subjects
 Oral tests to determine the depth of knowledge on a particular subject
matter.
At the end of the course input, there will be a final written test. Throughout
Module E, the Trainees will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate
practical skills and in particular, the ability to combine a range of basic skills in
combination, to achieve a satisfactory and safe conclusion to each scenario.
Marking sheets and reports will be standardised on an agreed Regional
template.
The pass mark for each test will be set at 70%. Anyone failing to achieve this
standard during any test, will be given a warning ( verbal or written ) as to the
standards required in their future performance on the course and a
development / improvement plan with support from the instructional staff, to
assist them in achieving the expected standards. Failure to achieve the
expected standards by the end of the course can result in one of a number of
measures, dependant on the scale of the failure :1. Dismissal from the Service on capability grounds
2. ‘Back squadding’ ie being placed on the following Trainees Phase 1
course, with a requirement to complete some or all of it and achieve
the required standards of competence.
3. Release to a Watch within the relevant Service but with a number of
‘training needs’ that must be addressed within a set time period on
station
Option 3 above, will only be used for minor training needs, as this imposes
additional burdens on the Watches involved. When this option is used, it
should always be supported by Training Centre staff to reduce this burden to
a manageable minimum. The ideal solution would be for the Trainee to be
provided with an individual training support programme, before they are
placed onto the Watch ie by attending a short but specific course at Training
Centre or another suitable venue.
Course notes and lecture packs
Course notes and lecture packs will be generic to the Region and will be
based on those currently used on the Oxfordshire / Buckinghamshire Trainees
Consortium ( but taking cognisance of those from Kent and Hampshire ). They
will be badged for all South East Brigades. Future lecture packs may be
based on those provided by the LearnPro system, where this is in place within
an individual Brigade. Where this is the case, the content of the LearnPro
package on a particular subject must be compared with that currently in use
within the Region and any differences catered for. Oxfordshire FRS will
ensure that course notes are updated on a regular basis and that any updates
will be promulgated to all SE Brigades. It was agreed that a suitable repository
for these notes / packs would be the SEHRDG web site, to which all Brigades
have access. Kent FRS will arrange for these to be added to the website
when required and to make any amendments as they become necessary.
Quality Assurance
It was agreed that QA will be achieved by peer review within the Region. This
will entail visits by another SE Brigade to a course whilst it is running. During
this visit, the QA team will look at : quality of the facilities used
 assessment methods in use
 quality of the delivery methods and their relevance to the course
attendees
 skills of the instructors
 adherence to the agreed content and methods above
A QA template will be provided and used ( based on that used currently by
Hants FRS ), with the results kept on a central database and a copy sent to
the relevant Brigade. Each course will receive at least one visit. This will be
arranged by the course provider and can be sub Regional to assist with travel
/ time constraints. The individuals carrying out the QA inspections / visits
should be familiar with current training methods and procedures eg Training
(Centre) instructors or Managers and should be independent of role ie an
individual in any role ( former rank ) can carry out the visit but should be
competent to do so, as described within HSE guidance. The individuals
carrying out the audit will be empowered ( by a Regional agreement ) with the
ability to make any comments and recommendations they feel necessary as a
result of their findings and it should be agreed that these will be acted upon by
the relevant course directors as soon as practicable, after the visit.
Accreditation
Some courses within the South East are accredited with the IFE at
Preliminary Certificate level ( Oxon / Bucks Consortium ) and this award is
given to students on successful completion of the course, to the relevant
standards. It is agreed that the whole Regional Phase 1 course will seek
accreditation by the IFE and that a BTEC award could be made based on
Units 1-6, in line with the current Hampshire model.