Public Safety Courses Offered

Basic Rigging for Rope Rescue

This 16 hour program is designed for personnel whose duties require

training in basic rope rescue knowledge and skills but not in rappelling.

Students are introduced to rope construction, rope characteristics, rope

hardware and various knots and hitches. They will participate in patient

packaging and stokes litter handling exercises and will be trained in

practical haul systems and their uses. Students will need a helmet,

leather work gloves, boots and eye protection.

All students who successfully complete the Basic Rigging for Rope

Rescue Program will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania State

Fire Academy & Bucks County Community College.

Confined Space Rescue

This 16 hour course deals primarily with rescues involving confined spaces.

Topics include definitions, regulations, identification, logistics, toxicology

and techniques.

Students will need note taking materials, helmet with a chinstrap, work

boots (steel toe preferred), eye protection, positive pressure SCBA, knee

pads, work clothes or coveralls that may become muddy and 2 pair of gloves.

All students who successfully complete the Confined Space Rescue Program

will receive a Certificate from the Pa. State Fire Academy & Bucks

County Community College.

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years of age! Must possess Rope/High Angle

Rescue I or Basic Rigging for Rope Rescue (ROBR) and Respiratory

Protection I (REPR).

Confined Space Rescue Refresher

Through classroom sessions & practical fieldwork, this 8 hour program  will

give the student the ability to function safely and effectively as a member of

a rescue team, operating at the scene of a confined space emergency. The

subjects to be covered include safety procedures, definitions, rigging

techniques, rescue techniques and practical application through integrated

exercises. This program is designed to follow the OSHA Regulation

29 CFR 1910.146

Students will need the following equipment: Helmet with a chin strap (fire,

construction or climbing), eye protection, leather gloves, work or hiking

boots, (NO SNEAKERS), knee pads, outdoor work clothing or coveralls

appropriate for weather conditions and SCBA (Positive Pressure Only).

Firefighter turn-out gear is not acceptable for this class. 

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years of age! Must possess Rope/High Angle

Rescue I or Basic Rigging for Rope Rescue (ROBR) and Respiratory

Protection I (REPR).

All students who successfully complete the Confined Space Rescue

Refresher Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks

County Community College.

Ice Rescue Awareness

This 4 hour program discusses the characteristics of ice related emergencies

and the health risks to First Responders. This program addresses the common

hazards associated with ice rescue emergencies. It will assist to increase the

ability of the first responder to maintain scene safety. The students will

learn important safety procedures to weather exposure and drowning.

Personnel protective equipment for ice rescue emergencies will

also be presented in this program.

All students who successfully complete the Ice Rescue Awareness Program

will receive a Certificate from the Bucks County Community College.

Ice Rescue and Emergency Response 

This 16 hour program is a mix of classroom and on the ice practical sessions,

dealing with ice emergencies and the safe and effective methods to handle

them. Students will need proper clothing for prevailing weather conditions,

a set of warm, dry clothes to change into, a personal floatation device

and a helmet (if available).

All students who successfully complete the Ice Rescue & Emergency

Response Program will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania

State Fire Academy & Bucks County Community College.

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years of age! Must also possess Water

Rescue and Emergency Response.

Introduction to Search Team Officership

This 16 hour program is designed to provide students with an overview of

the skills necessary to effectively manage volunteer and career search

and rescue organizations. Search and Rescue Team Officers will give the

student a basic overview of search operations officer responsibilities,

personnel issues, search operations, and the development of a sound

and effective administrative and search operations organizational

structure.

All students who successfully complete any of the Introduction to Search

Team Officership Program will receive a certificate from the Bucks County

Community College. Prerequisites: Students will need the following

equipment: helmet with chin strap (fire, construction helmet), eye

protection (such as safety glasses or goggles), leather gloves, work or

hiking boots which provide support (NO SNEAKERS), outdoor work

clothing or coveralls appropriate for weather conditions. Fire fighter

turn-out gear is not acceptable for this class.

All students who successfully complete the Introduction to Search Team

Officership Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks

County Community College.

Lockout/Tagout Procedures

This 2 hour program reviews lockout tagout policies & procedures that create

a safe & effective work environment. Topics include identifying energy

sources, isolation procedures, de-energizing & verification, hazards

communications and terminating incidents involving energy source isolation.

All students who successfully complete the Lockout/Tagout Procedures

Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks County

Community College.

Rope/High Angle Rescue I

This 16 hour program provides an introduction to rope, basic rope

construction, knots, safe rappelling techniques and basic haul system

construction. Students will need a helmet, leather work gloves, boots

and eye protection.

All students who successfully complete the Rope/High Angle Rescue I

Program will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy 

& Bucks County Community College.

All students who successfully complete the Rope/High Angle Rescue II

Program will receive a Certificate from the Pa. State Fire Academy & Bucks

County Community College.

Prerequisites:  Rope High Angle Rescue I (RORE) or Department of

Health Basic Rescue  (DHBR)

Ropes & Knots

This 3 hour program  will teach the first responder how to identify & tie basic

knots and how to apply the correct knot to lift & lower equipment.

All students who successfully complete the Ropes & Knots Program will

receive a Certificate from the Bucks County Community College.

Ropes & Rigging Practical

This 6 hour program is designed to reinforce lessons learned from previous

ropes & rigging classes through the use of controlled practical scenarios.

The student must be able to tie a variety of knots & apply them

to various rescue equipment and techniques.

All students who successfully complete the Ropes & Rigging Practical Program

will receive a Certificate from the Bucks County Community College.

Ropes & Rigging Refresher

This 6 hour program reviews basic fire/rescue knots and the use of

specialized rope rescue equipment. Emphasis is placed on scene and

rescuer safety, mechanical advantage, belay systems & victim

packaging & removal. Lessons will be reinforced through

integrated rescue exercises.

Students will need the following equipment: Helmet with a chin strap (fire,

construction or climbing), eye protection, leather gloves, work or hiking

boots, (NO SNEAKERS), outdoor work clothing appropriate for weather

conditions & water bottle for fluids. Students may bring additional personal

or department owned equipment but all such equipment will be subject to

inspection prior to use.

All students who successfully complete the Ropes & Rigging Refresher

Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks County Community

College.

This 3 hour program discusses the characteristics of water related

emergencies & the health & safety risks to first responders. This program

addresses the common hazards associated with water rescue

emergencies, as well as, the first responders  initial role, on scene

responsibilities & responder limitations. This course will assist

to increase the responders ability to maintain scene/rescuer safety &

control. During this program, students are introduced to important safety

procedures related to weather exposure & physiological conditions,

near drowning, personal protective equipment, including PFD’s

and initial action plan development for water rescue emergencies.

All students who successfully complete the Water Rescue Awareness Program

will receive a Certificate from the Bucks County Community College.

Water Rescue & Emergency Response

This 16 hour program is designed to familiarize students with water rescue

and the problems associated with it. Topics include statistics, planning,

hypothermia, drowning, shore based rescues, shallow water crossing and self

rescue. Students will be required to pass a swimming test at the beginning of

the class. The student will need a swimsuit, towel, get wet clothing for

prevailing weather conditions, a whistle, personal floatation device (PFD)

and a water rescue helmet (If Available).

Prerequisite: Must be 18 years of age!

All students who successfully complete the Water Rescue & Emergency

Response Program will receive a Certificate from the Pa. State Fire Academy 

& Bucks County Community College.

Wilderness Search & Rescue Awareness Response

This 3.5 hour program will provide the student with basic knowledge to begin

initial operations as defined in NFPA 1670 for awareness level operations in

wilderness search & rescue. The course will cover initial response and

organization for a search.

All students who successfully complete the Wilderness Search & Rescue

Awareness Response Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks

County Community College.

Wilderness Search & Rescue – Basic/Advanced Grid Search

This 16 hour program is presented in a combination of classroom and

fieldwork to present grid search methods and teach the student

comprehensive map/compass skills and patient evacuation skills.

Students will need outdoor clothing appropriate for weather conditions,

work or hiking boots, eye protection and a compass.

All students who successfully complete the Basic & Advanced Grid Search

 Programs will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy

& Bucks County Community College.

Wilderness Search Rescue – Managing Land Search Operations

This 40 hour program is presented in a classroom setting to teach more

advanced search operation techniques and organizational skills to the units

responding to a lost person incident.

Students will need a calculator, and various colors of highlighter markers.

All students who successfully complete the Managing Land Search

 Operations Program will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania

Wilderness Search & Rescue – Search Responder

search operation technique and organizational skills to the first responding

units to a lost person incident.

Students will need a calculator, and various colors of highlighter markers.

All students who successfully complete the Search Responder Program will

receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy & Bucks

County Community College.

Structural Collapse Operations – Level I

This 4 hour program is designed to familiarize students with operations at the

scene of a structural collapse, so they may be able to function at the initial

stages of a structural collapse operation, identify and mitigate hazards,

recognize the need for assistance and perform as an integral part of

the overall operation once technical rescue teams are on site.

All students who successfully complete the Structural Collapse Operations

Level I Program will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania State

Fire Academy & Bucks County Community College.

Structural Collapse Operations – Level II

This 16 hour program gives fire department and rescue personnel the

knowledge and skills necessary to operate effectively at incidents

involving the collapse of light frame and heavy wall structures. Students

are given extensive hands on instruction in structure assessment,

emergency shoring and stabilization, breaching building materials,

patient packaging and extrication.

Students will need the following equipment: Helmet with a chin strap (fire,

construction or climbing), eye protection, ear protection, leather gloves, work

or hiking boots, (NO SNEAKERS), knee pads, outdoor work clothing or

coveralls appropriate for weather conditions.

All students who successfully complete the Structural Collapse Operations

Level II Program will receive a Certificate from the Pennsylvania State

Fire Academy & Bucks County Community College.

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years of age! Must also possess Structural

Collapse Level I.

Structural Collapse Operations Level II Refresher

This 8 hour program gives the fire departments & rescue personnel a

refresher base of knowledge & skills necessary to operate effectively at

incidents involving the collapse of light frame and heavy wall

structures. Students are given extensive hands on instruction in

structure assessment, emergency shoring & stabilization &

breaching light building materials.

Students will need the following equipment: Helmet with a chin strap (fire,

construction or climbing), eye protection, ear protection, leather gloves, work

or hiking boots, (NO SNEAKERS), knee pads, outdoor work clothing or

coveralls appropriate for weather conditions.

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years of age! Must also possess Structural

Collapse Level II

All students who successfully complete the Structural Collapse Operations

Level II Refresher Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks

County Community College.

Trench Rescue Awareness

This 4 hour program will give the responder the knowledge of how to respond

to a trench collapse emergency. The course will point out the hazards

associated with a trench collapse and actions that the first responder can

take prior to the arrival of the rescue team. Topics include case studies,

collapse types, hazard control & identification, shoring overview and

initial response actions.

All students who successfully complete the Trench Rescue Awareness

Program will receive a Certificate from the Bucks County Community

College.

Trench Rescue I

This course will introduce the student to the knowledge and skills necessary

to safely and effectively perform complex rescue operations in collapsed

trench excavations. Course work will include practical drills and

demonstration in simulated trench excavations.

Students will need: List will be supplied to students at time of enrollment.

All students who successfully complete the Trench Rescue I Program will

receive a Certificate from the Pa. State Fire Academy & Bucks County

Community College. Prerequisite: Must be 18 years of age!

For more information on these courses please contact:

 Chief Roger Tobias at eastpenn@entermail.net