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HMOL Overview of Course/Certification
In 2007, the Training Division staff finalized the process
and introduced certification for Hazardous Materials: First
Responder Operational Level of the NFPA 472, 2002 Edition of the
Standard. This certification level should not be confused with
the Hazmat Operational Level testing that is conducted during
Fire Fighter II certification.
The training course material is the same, the test
instruments come from the same selection pool, and the candidate
is required to have the proper training before application for
candidacy; but the number of test instruments is reduced for
Fire Fighter II. Therefore, the FFII candidate and subsequent
certified Fire Fighter II is not viewed as also being Hazmat
Operational Level certified. The certification test processes
for Hazmat Operational Level are more complex (there are
multi-task practical skills examinations) and there are more
test instruments and written examination questions.
The Hazmat Operational Level certification process is
independent of any other certification level, however candidates
are required to have current Awareness Level training before the
Application for Candidacy will be processed. The requirement and
process to meet this prerequisite will be defined later in this
section.
The Training Division is utilizing the IFSTA manuals and
self-generated student materials for the Operational Level
course. This program meets all aspects of the NFPA 472 Standard,
2002 Edition. Many other publishers, States, and private
companies have also developed curriculum and reference materials
that meet the requirements of the Standard; and any of these
materials will provide the student with sufficient knowledge and
expertise to apply for candidacy.
Job Duty Description:
The job duty description for Operational Level encompasses
hazmat response functions and some functions as defined within
the firefighting standard. Self-contained breathing apparatus
and protective clothing would be examples of such topics. The
Operational Level addresses those functions that adhere to a
defensive approach to hazmat response.
The Hazmat: First Responder Operations Level course,
provided by the Training Division, is 30 hours in length (24
hours if the student already has the 6-hour Awareness level
training); with consideration given for recent completion of the
Awareness Level training. The course will consist of classroom
instruction and field exercises, and the host organization will
be required to provide suitable field locations for evolutions
such as building dikes, dams and diversion forms.
Hazardous Materials training, requirements and course
information are available on the Training Division website at
www.nebraskasfmtd.org.
Course Completion/Attendance/Records
To qualify for candidacy, attendees must complete 75% of
each class and must have a 75% attendance record for the
Operational Level course. If records do not indicate this
participation percentage, they will not be eligible to apply for
Hazmat Operational Level candidacy.
If participating in a course presented by another
organization, the documentation process for course completion
must be submitted to the Training Division Office before the
Application for Candidacy will be accepted. This option to waive
process is explained on page 45 of the ‘System Structure and Ideology’ section of this manual.
A new individual course attendance record
(Registration-Course Attendance [RCA] Form) will be used in all
Training Division courses, requiring a student to initial the
record at the completion of each class.
All records, once submitted to the Training Division
Office, will be final.
There will be no options available to modify a record
once it has been entered into the class attendance certification
record database.
NOTE: It’s imperative that each student understand the
importance of attendance in all classes.
The completion of each class impacts on the next class,
therefore they shouldn’t just pick and choose those classes they
think will be interesting or involve skills training.
It is strongly recommended that all classes be attended
or arrangements be made for make-up time to complete any missed
classes.
Course Registration
The confidentiality of each attendee is paramount, and a new
preregistration form will be introduced on the Training Division
website. This form
will collect pertinent information about each student prior to
the class commencing.
Once the student arrives at the class site, he or she
will complete this individualized course attendance report with
their confidential information. After completion of each class,
the student and instructor must initial the attendance report
for that date. Anyone not in class will be marked as absent.
This report will be sent to the Training Division office for
entry into the course attendance database, and all records are
final.
Course Enrollment/Certificates
Each organization will receive a printout of all students
from the organization that will list names, dates, subject
matter, attendance of classes, and if successfully completing
the session or course.
Once the course is completed, the individual will receive a
certificate of successful completion for the course.
Hazmat: Operational Level – Training
Division Curriculum Arrangement
First Responder: Hazardous Material Operational Level
24 hrs
This course will be 24 hours in length (students must have
the 6 hour Awareness Level training, or the course becomes a
30-hour training schedule) and will cover the following topics.
Placards, containers, personal protective clothing, chemical
protective clothing (donning and doffing), and MSDS use. Also
included is information on decontamination, defensive control
measures (damming, diverting, retaining, absorption, vapor
dispersion, vapor suppression), control zones, predicting
behavior, analyzing the incident, and incident management.
This course will culminate in a hazardous materials scenario
that will allow participants to use all of the skills taught
during the course. Certain skills are not included in the
training classes, such as self-contained breathing apparatus. If
students do not have training on SCBA, they should attend a
course specific to this topic in preparation for attendance in
the Hazmat Operational Level course.
NFPA 472, Chapter 5
Hazmat Operational Level Course Classes
This
section will list the respective classes that the Training
Division uses for Hazmat Operational Level course. Class
descriptions are based on the Training Division student manual,
with references to the IFSTA Hazmat reference materials. This
information is available on the Training Division website at
www.nebraskasfmtd.org as a download document.
The class
descriptions will include the Awareness Level material, which
will be listed as Class 1 and 2. If students already have this
training, the Operations level course will begin with Class 3.
Hazmat: First Responder Awareness Level Classes
Class 1 – Topics
covered in this lesson will include national, state, and local
standards and regulations regarding transportation and response
to incidents involving potential hazardous materials.
Additional topics are DOT hazard classes and divisions,
placarding, labeling, containers, container markings, NFPA 704M
system, MSDS data, shipping papers, and detection methods. This
lesson will be conducted through lecture and video presentation
and will be 3 hours in length.
Class 2 –This
lesson will address hazardous materials and terrorism,
evacuation and/or shelter-in-place, responder protection, and
types of harm. We will also concentrate on the use of the
Emergency Response Guidebook discussing the different ways to
use the book and the benefits and limitations associated with
the information contained in the book. This lesson is 3 hours
long and will be conducted through lecture and using the ERG.
Throughout this course short quiz worksheets are used to help
the participant in learning and retaining the information.
Hazmat: First Responder Operational Level Classes
Class 3 – This session will start with an overview of the first responder trained at
the operations level. Other topics discussed are non-bulk
and bulk containers, highway transportation containers,
intermodal containers, railway containers, fixed facility
containers, container construction and identification, material
identification through container markings and shipping papers,
pesticides, and surveying hazmat incidents. This class is
taught through lecture and exercises.
No PPE is needed for this session.
Class 4 – This class starts off with discussion on the Department of
Transportation (DOT) hazard classes and divisions including
placard identification. Additional material covered would
include MSDS and how to use them, how to contact and utilize the
various chemical response hotlines, predicting the behavior of
materials and their containers, what physical properties are and
what they mean to the first responder, exposure and
contamination issues, and container and product stressors.
This class is taught through lecture, videos, and exercises.
No PPE is needed for this session.
Class 5 – Topics
discussed in this session are types of release and dispersion
patterns, release time frames, health hazards, identifying
potential harm, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), donning and
doffing PPE and SCBA, and limitations of PPE. This class
is taught through lecture, video, and exercises.
Participants will need PPE and SCBA.
Class 6 – Topics include establishing control zones, evacuation and relocation vs.
shelter-in-place, protective actions, defensive control
measures, and demonstrating donning and doffing Level “C & B”
equipment. This class is taught through lecture, video,
and exercises. Participants will need PPE and SCBA.
NOTE:
Please review the “Department Supplied Materials” list.
Class 7 – This class
concentrates on decontamination. Discussed is the
purpose of decon, the need for decon, different types of decon,
and we will finish the class doing skills work setting up a
decon station and performing decon on fellow participants.
Participants will need PPE and some will also need SCBA.
NOTE:
Please review the “Department Supplied Materials” list.
Class 8 – The class begins
in the classroom discussing monitoring equipment before
skills training is conducted. Outside participants will
perform the defensive control actions previously discussed by
constructing overflow/underflow dams, retention devices, and
diversions.
Participants will need PPE but no SCBA.
NOTE:
Please review the “Department Supplied Materials” list.
Class 9 – This class addresses the OSHA mandated use of an Incident Command
System at all hazardous materials incidents. Discussed is
the 8-step process for incident management and incident
termination.
No PPE is needed for this session.
Class 10 – This class completes the course with a
culmination of the classes where
participants will work together using the knowledge and skills
taught in this course to solve a hazardous materials scenario.
Participants will research the product(s), make decisions
regarding the safety of their personnel and the public,
determine the correct level of protection, and then don PPE and
perform defensive tactics to either stop the release or contain
the product(s). This class will end with a final test and
a course critique.
Participants will need PPE and some SCBA.
NOTE:
Please review the “Department Supplied Materials” list.
Each class is designed to
be three hours in length. Actual class length will vary
due to available equipment and number of participants.
Attending this Hazmat Operational Level
course within the FFII program does not provide the attendee
with an additional certification certificate. The course work
will apply as required training, but the student must still
apply to be a candidate for certification to the Hazmat: First
Responder Operational Level.
Waiver Policy for HM:FROL Students
Because federal regulations list information regarding
annual refresher training to maintain an acceptable competency
level, we will permit those who can verify previous attendance
in a class (within one year of attendance) or if they have
attended a refresher course within the one year period, to waive
the class and receive credit for having HM:FROL training.
If someone has had a course or refresher course but the
period of time is more than one year but less than or equal
to 2 years, the authority having jurisdiction for the
student’s competency may request that the student be permitted
to “Test Out”. This will apply if the student has had some
miscellaneous training addressing hazardous materials throughout
the year or has attended other classes on hazardous materials
response. This “Test Out” method will also verify the student’s
competency for another year for their employer, but the testing
out method only verifies the student’s training requirement. The
“Test Out” test is not part of the certification process, nor
does it replace the written examination for certification.
NOTE: The Training Division is not attempting to circumvent
federal regulations; therefore, a student must provide
documentation of attendance in some type of HM training,
regardless if in-house or some other conference, workshop, or
class.
If someone has hazmat training of any form or nature, but
this training was not referred to as HM:FROL, the student will
have an option to “Test Out” by taking the HM:FROL written
examination prior to the course.
Some examples of this type of training may be HAZWOPER
training, commercial vehicle driver training or general
hazardous materials response training. This option should not be
used as a method to sidestep the appropriate training, which
should address all JPRs as listed in NFPA 472, 2002 Edition of
the Standard.
For More Information on the Certification Process please refer
to the CP&P Manual
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