Training Programs Offered

All training offered will be in the form of class type presentation and, where applicable and realistically possible, actual hands on demonstration and use of the department’s available equipment and location sites.

Should the training, as well as other portions of the particular training program, indicate to the department that they desire to proceed into the initiation, planning, programming, and completion of the program presented, I will offer not only the consulting services applicable, but will also “oversee” the elements involved that will be requirements for the successful accomplishment and completion of the entire project.

The training programs offered will be held at the sites mutually agreed upon based on the nature and scope of the subject matter to be covered. Applicable hand-outs covering major items in the instruction will be a part of all the training programs.

This is a two-day class covering every item in the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule1). It is a class to prepare you for the understanding of the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule used by ISO when surveying your fire department. The Course will cover each Item in the three sections of the Schedule2):

• Receiving and Handling of Alarms
• Fire Department
• Water Supply 3)

Every item covered may have a differing affect on each department, and some items may not even be able to be acquired by some departments.

Depending on the fire department's response area and available water supply, the class can cover all the aspects of alternate water supply capabilities and their ISO parameters. The class length will be longer when this information is desired since there is a great deal of extra information.

This course, which I wrote for the Georgia Fire Academy, can not be taught in the state of Georgia since it is offered free of charge to fire department personnel by the Georgia Fire Academy. Since these departments are advised that they can also bring personnel of their government’s water system, I also encourage the same invitations (see comment below).

The course is designed to give fire personnel an in-depth look at water systems and how ISO surveys those systems. We encourage any department that is interested in having this class presented to also invite their water system personnel since many of those persons are totally unaware of how their water system and all of its facets are evaluated by ISO during a survey.

The course is well illustrated and has many calculating examples to assist in understanding many of the methods that ISO uses in their grading processes. It will be of great assistance to have available a map of the existing water system so that the portions of the presentation that are applicable to the existing water system of the department can be illustrated.

This a one-day class which will cover:

1. presentation of a totally complete pressurized water system (with examples of the varying types of systems) and the components creating water flow to fire hydrants –
   • how all of the system's components are surveyed by ISO
   • General items relating to water systems
   • Elevated storage and it's importance
   • Informational questions and comments that will relate to specifics of the ISO survey
   • The information required by ISO survey for their pre-survey informational needs will be covered
2. fire hydrants – components, maintenance testing procedures, and recording of tests
3. hydrant flow – procedures for flowing in order to obtain the maximum flow, tools and equipment required (as well as safety precautions), and the informational data used to calculate the gpm flow obtained. Sample problems will be given to ensure that the theoretical hydrant information and tables are used correctly.
4. ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule survey requirements for water supply. Items relating to the hydrants will be covered as well as the calculations used by ISO to determine the “limited by” information for each tested Needed Fire Flow building 4)

As an addition to the course, an evaluation of the department's water system(s) can be performed, as would be done during an ISO survey. Contacts will be made to determine if previous ISO survey results are available as well as having the map of the water system.

The basic construction of fire pumps will be covered to ensure that personnel are aware of the basic parts of the pump and what function each plays in the ability of the pump to operate in the abilities to DRAFT AND DELIVER water. Should the department have a pump cut-away or the large scale parts identification diagram of the pump supplied by the manufacturer, these will also be used in the presentation. The capability and ability of the pump to draft water, as well as ALL the requirements necessary to accomplish drafting, will be thoroughly covered. This will also include drafting when using dry hydrants (if applicable to department operations) as there are some very different factors involved. The testing of a fire pump will be explained and it will be covered relative to the use of pump tests. The record information that is required to be obtained will be covered as well as what this information can provide to you about your fire pump. Tables that are used in conjunction with the testing will be shown and explained showing their relevance to the entire test. All testing information will be based on NFPA Standard 1921 (Service Tests of Pumps in Fire Department Apparatus).