Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the PUA Public Safety Training Package.

This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to respond to a wildfire, work as a safe and situationally aware member of a crew to attack and extinguish a fire, participate in mop ups and patrol operations and prepare equipment for the next crew.

The unit applies to firefighting personnel who work as a member of a team. It includes preparing to respond to fire; proceeding to fire; obtaining and using firefighting equipment and extinguishing media; combating wildfire; observing and reacting to wildfire and weather conditions; participating in mop up and patrol activities; supporting operations and recovering and storing equipment. Work at this level is undertaken under direct supervision, and with instruction.

The fire sector is those sections of government departments, statutory authorities or organisations that have responsibility under jurisdictional arrangements for the delivery of firefighting and fire management services.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

It is essential that the prerequisite units listed below are obtained prior to the issuance of this unit to individuals within the fire sector or the units contributing to the attainment of a fire qualification.

PUAFIR210 Prevent injury

Fire

Fire

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1  

Prepare to respond to fire 

1.1 

Information received about the location and type of wildfire is confirmed

1.2 

Most effective route to the fire is identified and navigated safely

1.3 

Appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment is donned, in accordance with organisational procedures

2 

Proceed to fire 

2.1 

Location of the fire and type of fuel is confirmed on approach

2.2 

Life is protected and damage to property and the environment is minimised, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.3 

Evidence relevant to fire cause is noted and reported utilising the organisations chain of command, in accordance with organisational procedures

2.4 

Indicators of fire behaviour are observed and reported

3 

Obtain and use firefighting equipment and extinguishing media 

3.1 

Nominated extinguishing media and/or firefighting equipment are located and obtained

3.2 

Extinguishing media and equipment are used, in accordance with manufacturers’ specifications and organisational procedures

4 

Combat wildfire 

4.1 

Instructions are received, firefighting strategies and tactics are confirmed and implemented

4.2 

Suppression techniques, equipment and extinguishing media appropriate to wildfire conditions are used

4.3 

Control lines are prepared as directed

4.4 

Equipment is positioned, made ready for use and protected from damage

4.5 

Fire is attacked taking into account wildfire hazards as directed

4.6 

Evidence of fire cause and area of fire origin are protected

4.7 

Communication is maintained at all times with all personnel

5 

Observe and react to wildfire and weather conditions 

5.1 

Changing conditions at the fire are observed and their effects on fire behaviour are noted and reported

5.2 

Weather conditions and changes to fire behaviour are observed and reported

5.3 

Variations in topography, fuel features and fuel arrangements are observed and reported

5.4 

Escape routes and safety zones are confirmed and maintained throughout the incident

5.5 

Communication is maintained with other firefighting personnel throughout operational activities

6 

Participate in mop up and patrol activities and support operations 

6.1 

Mopping up activities are carried out, as directed

6.2 

Patrol of the perimeter or sector of the fire is maintained, as directed

6.3 

Activities to support firefighting operations are carried out, as directed

7 

Recover and store equipment 

7.1 

Equipment and consumables are recovered, as directed

7.2 

Firefighting equipment is collected and stored at the incident

7.3 

Cleaning and maintenance are carried out in accordance with organisational procedures

7.4 

Damaged or lost equipment is identified and reported

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

extinguishing media must include two of the following

• class A foam
• retardants
• soil
• water
• wetting agents

personal protective clothing and equipment must include

• eye and head protection
• turnout uniform and gloves

types of wildfire must include

• surface

types of fuel must include one of the following

• forest
• grass
• scrub

firefighting equipment must include

• hand tools
• hose and small gear
• pump
• tanker

firefighting tactics must include

• control line construction
• mopping up
• patrol
• use of extinguishing media

suppression techniques must include

• dry and wet firefighting

This unit replaces and is equivalent to PUAFIR204B Respond to wildfire.

Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the PUA Public Safety Training Package.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions on at least one occasion and includes

• applying Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
• combating wildfires
• communicating on the fire ground using a range of tools
• detecting hot spots, hazardous trees, unsecured wildfire perimeter
• maintaining situational awareness
• maintaining health and safety of self and others in work area
• observing and reacting to wildfire and weather conditions
• obtaining and using firefighting equipment and extinguishing media
• participating in mop ups, patrol activities and support operations
• participating in entrapment safety procedures
• preparing to respond to a fire
• proceeding to a fire
• reacting to changing wildfire behaviour due to changes in weather, topography and fuel conditions
• recovering, reinstating and storing equipment
• undertaking dry and wet wildfire attack
• undertaking operational activities safely, in accordance with organisational procedures
• using extinguishing media in wildfire control
• using wildfire control tools and equipment
• working with firefighting equipment
• working as a member of a team

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions and includes knowledge of

• communication on the fire ground using radio and telephone
• consumables including flagging tape, fuel, rubbish and signs
• extinguishing media, water, foam and suppressants
• escape routes including prepared tracks, roads, trails and waterways
• earth moving equipment such as bulldozers, graders and tractors with blades
• equipment for firefighting including chainsaw, ropes and lines, drip torch and knap sack
• evidence related to fire cause including fresh vehicles tracks, items or objects at scene, nature and behaviour of fire at the scene upon arrival, nature and colour of smoke and number of columns, people and vehicles leaving the scene and whether gates on access routes to the fire were closed, opened or locked
• fire behaviour
• fuel features including arrangement and distribution, moisture content, quantity, size and type
• indicators of fire behaviour including flame height and length, noise, rate of spread, smoke colour and density, spotting and extreme fire behaviour
• organisational documentation, policies and operating procedures
• safety zones including bare ground, burnt areas, clearings, rivers and site of recent wildfire or prescribed burn, static water bodies and defendable space
• support operations including providing and transporting food, water and equipment
• tactics for firefighting including backburning, burning out and patrol
• types of wildfire including crown and ground
• types of fuel including crop, heath, peat, coal, combustible soils and plantation
• strategies for firefighting including defensive, direct and indirect attack, offensive and parallel attack
• variations in topography including aspect, elevation, landscape features and slope
• weather conditions including atmospheric stability, relative humidity, temperature and variations to wind speed and direction
• wildfire control tactics and techniques
• wildfire hazards
• Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) organisational requirements including health and fitness requirements, hygiene and wellbeing, safe work practices, safety assessments and risk mitigation

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in industry approved simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Resources for assessment must include access to

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• relevant and appropriate materials, equipment, tools and personal protective clothing and equipment currently used in industry
• applicable documentation including organisational procedures, industry standards, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.