SYLLABUS FOR FIRT 1307 Title of Class Fire Prevention Codes and Inspections Semester Hours Credit: 3 Lecture Hours: 48 Location: ECRTA Course Dates/Days/Times: 16 Nov 2015 – 1 Jan 2016 Instructor: Darrell Burton Office Hours: (By Appointment Only) Instructor Email: duran30@hotmail.com Phone: Skype +12092751033 INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY My name is Darrell Burton and I have been trained and certified in various levels of the hazardous materials emergency response field. I completed my first fire prevention class back in 1997 at the Goodfellow Air Force Base Fire Academy in San Angelo, Texas. The class was Fire Inspector I and it was my introduction into the world of fire prevention and education. I have since completed numerous fire inspector, arson investigation, public education courses that have used throughout my career. I am a certified Fire Inspector III and I have performed a wide range of fire prevention activities from fire inspections, code enforcement, teaching community classes, and performing plans reviews for new building construction to ensure it meets code compliance for fire safety. Fire prevention is considered the most important aspect of the fire service, because this is the first line of defense to prevent a fire or emergency incident from occurring through proactive vigilance. This class will hopefully prepare you and arm you with the necessary knowledge to conduct responsible fire inspections and to enforce all applicable codes. I. INTRODUCTION A. This course is a study of the preparation of firefighters and fire officers to develop public fire safety awareness. Emphasis on implementation of fire and public safety programs in an effort to reduce the loss of life. B. This is a required course for an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Fire Protection. C. This course is occupationally related and serves as preparation for a career in Fire Protection. FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 1 of 8 D. Prerequisites: None II. LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of this course the student will: A. Recognize fire prevention fire safety education and code enforcement as a major responsibility of today’s fire service. B. Outline the master planning concept and the administrative responsibilities of public and private sectors in the fire safety field. C. Identify the elements of fire protection, fire loss reduction, and measures people should take in reaction to a fire. III. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS A. The instructional materials identified for this course are viewable through http://www.ctcd.edu/academics/booksinstructional-materials/ Student Textbook: Robertson, R. (2015). Introduction to Fire Prevention. (8th ed.) Upper Saddle River: NJ. Prentice Hall. ISBN: (9780133843279) IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS A. Your first responsibility is scholarship. The grade you receive for this course will not be the grade of the instructor, but rather the grade you and you alone make. B. You should attend online class regularly on Central Texas College (CTC) Blackboard. Online attendance involves logging into your Blackboard class and participating in discussions, submitting assignments, etc. Be prepared to also take any unannounced quizzes relating to text assignments and lecture material presented from the beginning of the course. Please refer to ‘Class Attendance and Course Progress’ under the Academic Policies section in our current CTC Course Catalog. C. You are encouraged to give your best effort throughout the course. From the beginning, you should plan for a steady, organized, and continuous effort, which in the long run will prove more effective for your final grade than a last minute crashcram policy. Your course grade is not determined solely by exam grade. Such factors as class participation, initiative, attendance, and individual research papers or projects will be considered in grade computation. D. From time to time, special library and/or outside assignments will be made to members of the class individually and/or in groups. You are expected to read all assignments and fulfill your responsibilities to any group assignment. FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 2 of 8 E. You are expected to read all assigned material and bring your textbook/reading materials to class. Keep informed on all assignments, especially after an absence. F. Good class notes are indispensable for earning a good grade, since both the material assigned and that discussed in class will be the basis for examination material. G. Scholastic Honesty: All students are required and expected to maintain the highest standards of scholastic honesty in the preparation of all coursework and during examinations. The following are considered examples of scholastic dishonesty: Plagiarism: The taking of passages from the writing of others without giving proper credit to the sources. Collusion: Using another’s work as one’s own, or working together with another person in the preparation of work, unless such joint preparation is specifically approved in advance by the instructor. Cheating: Giving or receiving information on examinations. H. V. Special Work: A term paper or other project, per requirements of the instructor, will be required. The subject must be appropriate for the course material. Check with the instructor when you have made a selection. The value is indicated in the semester grade computation and has considerable weight on your final average. COURSE FORMAT – BLACKBOARD This course has been developed on Blackboard. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that they have access to CTC Blackboard and that they are familiar with the contents and assignments. It is also the student’s responsibility to log into CTC Blackboard at least once a week to ‘attend’ the online class portion and to participate in the online Blackboard discussions and assignments. Failure to do so will violate the attendance policy and will have a negative impact on the course grade. The course will meet for six weeks. In addition, instructional strategies will include weekly CTC Blackboard assignments and discussion boards to accomplish the remaining instruction per week. VI. EXAMINATIONS A. There will be a minimum of two major examinations and a written paper or project as follows: 1. Mid-term exam due by Midnight 5 December 2. Final exam must be completed by Midnight 1 January 3. Term Paper due by Midnight 1 January For your term paper you will discuss the history of fire prevention, the current state of fire prevention, and what do you see the future of fire prevention and code enforcement becoming in the next 20 years. FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 3 of 8 Write a well-organized and thoughtful 2-3 page research paper. This assignment must be 2-3 pages in length. The title page and reference pages are not included in the required paper length. Your paper must contain at least three (3) references, in addition to your textbook. References and may include internet sources, books and professional journals or resources related to fire prevention or the fire service. Students are required to submit the Paper typed in MS Word using the APA Style format, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). The project must be submitted in 12pt. Times New Roman font, and with proper APA heading guidelines followed. The research paper must have a title page, and reference page. This Paper is Due by JANUARY 1st Midnight!!! VII. B. A student must take all examinations. Students who know in advance that they will be unavailable for an examination due to valid reasons must arrange to take an early examination. Unexpected absences due to illness or extenuating circumstances will require the student to see the instructor about individual make-up work. C. Students without excused absences will be given a zero for the missed examination. D. Examinations will consist of both objective (true/false, multiple choice, fill in-theblank, and matching) and subjective (short answer and essay) questions. Students must be able to communicate both orally and in written form, thus some questions requiring the composition and writing of an essay answer will be required. E. Final exams must be proctored by your local Site Coordinator. Please set up a time to take it in their office no later than the date provided by instructor. SEMESTER GRADE COMPUTATIONS The final grade in this course will be based on the following: Assignments & Tests Discussion Boards (mandatory) Term Paper/Term Presentation Mid-term Exam Final Exam Total possible points: POINTS 900-1000 800-899 700-799 600-699 0-599 200 points 150 points 300 points 175 points 175 points 1000 points GRADES A B C D F A term paper or term project is expected from all students. Students may vary in their competency levels on these abilities, so the instructor may need to revisit the term paper concept during the course. VIII. NOTES AND ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 4 of 8 A. Tuition refunds are made only in the case of class cancellation or official and timely withdrawal from CTC or from a course. Please refer to the current course catalog for more details. B. GoArmyEd students should contact their education counselor before withdrawing and are required to withdraw through the GoArmyEd portal. Please note: a military withdrawal does not override CTC’s grading policy. For self-pay students, refunds are computed from the date the Application for Withdrawal or Refund is filed with the CTC Field Representative or designated Student Services Officer. Special conditions apply to students who receive federal, state, and/or institutional financial aid. Tuition and fees paid directly to the Institution by the Veterans Administration, Title IV (Financial Aid Programs, a sponsor, donor, or scholarship shall be refunded to the source rather than directly to the students. C. Course Withdrawals, Student Responsibilities: It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course. The instructor cannot initiate a withdrawal based upon a student’s request. Rather, students must initiate the withdrawal with the designated Education Center Representative, through the CTC Field Representative or the Student Services Officer for that region. Applications for Withdrawal will be accepted at any time before the completion of 75% of the course, after which time the student will be assigned an “FN”- “Failure for Nonattendance.” D. Incomplete / Course in Progress Grade Policy: An “IP” or “Incomplete” grade may be assigned by an instructor if a student has made satisfactory progress in a course with the exception of a major quiz, final exam, or other project. The “IP” grade may also be assigned based on circumstances beyond a student’s control, such as personal illness, death in the immediate family, or military orders. Notice of absences, with supporting documentation, may be required by the instructor. The instructor makes the final decision concerning the granting of the incomplete grade. With an “Incomplete” grade, students are required to complete a set amount of work before the instructor will submit an official letter grade. E. Cellular phones, beepers, and other electronic devices will be turned off while the student is in the classroom or laboratory unless the student is using the device for class purposes. No texting or social networking is allowed during class. F. Instructor Discretion: The instructor reserves the right of final decision in course requirements. G. Civility: Individuals are expected to be cognizant of what a constructive educational experience is and respectful of those participating in a learning environment. Failure to do so can result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion. IX. COURSE OUTLINE FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 5 of 8 Note: refer to the course menu to the left in blackboard Note: The instructor has the right to change the course schedule. Any changes will be announced in class. If the student misses a class period and changes are announced, it is the student’s responsibility to receive the missed information from a classmate or the instructor. Assignments and interaction are via CTC Blackboard. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that they have access to internet so that they may communicate, via CTC Blackboard, with the instructor. The class is broken down into six sessions. See course outline and schedule for more specific details. X. COURSE SCHEDULE LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of this course the student will: A. Recognize fire prevention fire safety education and code enforcement as a major responsibility of today’s fire service. B. Outline the master planning concept and the administrative responsibilities of public and private sectors in the fire safety field. C. Identify the elements of fire protection, fire loss reduction, and measures people should take in reaction to a fire. Weekly Schedule Session/date Week 1 16 Nov – 21 Nov Theme/readings Read Textbook Chapter 1 Read Textbook Chapter 2 Assignments Discussion Board: Initial post has to include at least 250 words and must be posted by Wednesday midnight 11/18/2015. Comments to other students not required for the first week. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 01 Week 1 Assessment/Test due by Saturday midnight 11/21/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 02 FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 6 of 8 Week 2 22 Nov – 28 Nov Read Textbook Chapter 3 Read Textbook Chapter 4 Discussion Board: Initial post has to include at least 250 words and has to be posted by Wednesday midnight 11/25/2015. Complete a minimum of two comments/reply to other students. Comments must be a minimum 125 words each must be posted by Saturday midnight11/28/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 03 Week 2 Assessment/Test due by Saturday midnight 11/28/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 04 Week 3 29 Nov – 5 Dec Read Textbook Chapter 5 Read Textbook Chapter 6 Discussion Board: Initial post has to include at least 250 words and has to be posted by Wednesday midnight 12/2/2015. Complete a minimum of two comments/reply to other students. Comments must be a minimum 125 words each must be posted by Saturday midnight12/5/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 05 Mid-Term Exam due by Saturday midnight 12/5/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 06 Week 4 6 Dec – 12 Dec Read Textbook Chapter 7 Read Textbook Chapter 8 Discussion Board: Initial post has to include at least 250 words and has to be posted by Wednesday midnight 12/9/2015. Complete a minimum of two comments/reply to other students. Comments must be a minimum 125 words each must be posted by Saturday midnight12/12/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 07 Week 4 Assessment/Test due by Saturday midnight 12/12/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 08 FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 7 of 8 Week 5 13 Dec – 19 Dec Read Textbook Chapter 9 Read Textbook Chapter 10 Discussion Board: Initial post has to include at least 250 words and has to be posted by Wednesday midnight 12/16/2015. Complete a minimum of two comments/reply to other students. Comments must be a minimum 125 words each must be posted by Saturday midnight12/19/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 09 Week 5 Assessment/Test due by Saturday midnight 12/19/2015. Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 10 Week 6 20 Dec – 26 Dec Week 7 27 Dec – 1 Jan CHRISTMAS BREAK Read Textbook Chapter 11 Read Textbook Chapter 12 Read Textbook Chapter 13 Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 11 Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 12 Review PowerPointLecture Note Chapter 13 NO ASSIGNMENTS DUE Discussion Board: Initial post has to include at least 250 words and has to be posted by Wednesday midnight 12/30/2015. Complete a minimum of two comments/reply to other students. Comments must be a minimum 125 words each must be posted by Saturday midnight1/1/2016. Final Exam – Proctored by CTC staff due by Saturday midnight 1/1/2016. This must be scheduled with CTC staff!!! Research Paper – due by Saturday midnight 1/1/2016. FIRT 1307 – IS Fire Prevention Codes & Inspections – 8th ed. (10/14) Page 8 of 8