National Park Service partners with Boise Fire Department for new structural fire academy

Structural firefighter stays down low to navigate through tight spaces during training.

NPS/B BEATY

The National Park Service (NPS) Structural Fire Program is headquartered at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho as a branch within the Division of Fire and Aviation. The program, focused on supporting national parks with structural firefighting engine companies, is divided into fire prevention, operations, and training. The training program maintains the agency’s Pro Board accreditation, allowing NPS to certify its firefighters to an internationally recognized certification with the Pro Board seal.

Firefighter I and II (I/II) is one of the Pro Board accredited courses for NPS structural firefighters. During the first 12 weeks of the hybrid 15-week course, students learn online while completing hands-on skills worksheets supported by other firefighters in their parks. Once the online portion is completed, the candidates attend a three-week fire academy in Boise, Idaho.

Previously, the NPS Structural Fire Academy had been hosted at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) in Arizona. Over the years that Glen Canyon NRA hosted the academy, the team there was instrumental in conducting fire academies and improving the NPS Structural Fire training program. NPS chose to move the academy to Boise to be closer to the program’s headquarters.

Structural firefighters train to extinguish a vehicle fire using a training apparatus.

NPS/C STEVENSON

To move the academy to Boise, the NPS Structural Fire Program completed a cooperative management agreement with the City of Boise Fire Department to allow the NPS to use the city’s fire department training grounds. This partnership that was created in 2022 will help grow both the Boise Fire Department and the NPS structural fire training program through investment in tools, equipment, and training facilities, without the need for redundancy. In addition to the partnership with Boise, NPS also struck a partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), bringing an Army civilian firefighter to Boise as part of the instructional cadre.

Twenty-four students attended the inaugural three-week NPS Structural Firefighting Academy in Boise in October-November 2022. The quality training ground infrastructure lent itself to an outstanding experience for the students. The academy courses built on the foundation of what students learned from the online portion of the course.

Structural fire academy students participate in live fire training.

NPS/C STEVENSON

During the first week, students were placed into engine company teams, requiring each team to maintain their crew equipment of forcible entry tools, flashlight, radio, and multi-gas detector. Students learned fire apparatus safety, personal protective equipment inspection and use, how to rescue a downed firefighter, building construction and hoisting tools. Firefighters also conducted ladder, hydrant, and hose deployments. All these skills were put together into a scenario for daily company evolution exercises. Students had the weekend off to explore the local area and prepare for week two.

Structural firefighters demonstrate using the master stream device to spray water on an area further away or to reach a higher hazard.

NPS/B BEATY

During week two, students took part in auto extrication (rescue), learning to ventilate a structure, stopping the flow of an activated fire suppression system sprinkler head, performing forcible entry into a structure, salvaging to save property located within the structure, and overhauling to find hot spots. To apply the skills they had previously learned, week two also included two days of live fire training with an observation burn to understand fire behavior and interior fire attack. Over the weekend, students again had the opportunity to explore the local area and prepare for the capstone week which would test everything they had learned.

Structural firefighters demonstrate fire sprinkler activation.

NPS/B BEATY

During week three, students learned about hazardous materials response. They demonstrated proper personal protective equipment wear and use, how to respond to a hazardous material event, air sampling, and performing diking, damming, and diverting of a hazardous liquid material. Students also conducted two live fire sessions, a vehicle fire using a propane-fired vehicle training aid and fighting a pressurized propane device fire. The week ended with firefighters completing a written test and hands-on skills evaluation. Those that successfully completed the course were awarded their Pro Board Firefighter I and II, Hazmat Awareness, and Hazmat Ops certifications.

Structural fire academy student searches for victims.

NPS/B BEATY

The first academy held in Boise was a tremendous success due to the new partnership with the City of Boise, as well as the exceptional efforts and dedication provided by the instructional cadre of the NPS Structural Fire Program, Boise Fire Department, and DoD. Future fire academies will build on these successful partnerships and all agencies look forward to cooperating for the next fire academy starting with the online portion in July 2023 and students arriving in Boise in October 2023.