A fire extinguisher is an essential part of any proper safety plan. However, having an extinguisher hand isn’t enough. Using it properly is key to having the tool work effectively in case of an emergency. Our fire extinguisher training will teach you to do just that with more than theory. We’ll also have you put out an actual controlled fire to put your knowledge to the test.

Fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and hose reel training are all sections that can be done individually. However, when done together they will meet NZQA Standards and successful completion of all three portions will earn NZQA credits.

What NZQA Standards does this training meet?

This training is part of NZQA 3271. NZQA 3271 is a Level 2 course worth 1 credit.

Theory and fire science

This course touches on some basics of fires, such as the difference between fires of classes A through F. Each fire type has a different procedure and it is important to be able to identify which class of fire you’re dealing with in case of emergency.

The principles of fire science we cover

There are a lot of principles that determine how fires work, how they spread, and the risk factors for fires that we cover in this course. Some of these include:

• Principles of heat: Understand the difference between conduction, convection, direct burning, ember transport, and radiation and how they apply specifically to fires. The course will also cover the way that heat travels and how heat transfer can be inhibited.
• Understanding important fire terms: We’ll go over what fire terms mean such as combustion, firepoint, flashpoint, ignition temperature, and miscibility.
• Methods of extinguishing fires: Cover the different ways that fires can be extinguished including cooling, removing fuel, smothering and starving.

Fire Extinguisher Training

As fire extinguishers are the primary way to put out small fires, this training is important and has practical applications outside of commercial buildings as well. This training involves several parts:

• Identifying the fire type properly
• Safety precautions for bystanders and building occupants
• Handling and operation of the fire extinguisher using fire suppression techniques
• Identification of actions to take should extinguishing be unsuccessful

Our training goes a step further by having you put out a live fire instead of a simulated fire. Although this is in a heavily controlled setting, extinguishing a real fire ensures that you perform the steps properly and apply your knowledge in a lifelike setting.

Fire Blanket Training

A fire blanket works to smother a fire by removing oxygen from the flames, an essential element for fires to keep burning. Fire blankets are used in place of fire extinguishers in certain situations where fire extinguishers are ineffective or can’t be used.

As part of fire blanket training, we’ll teach you when and how to use fire blankets including how to remove the blanket from the wall, how to safely hold the blanket, and how to use it to cover a fire as well as the limitations of fire blankets.

Hose Reel Training

Fixed hose reels are an effective way to get water hoses to a fire when water is an appropriate way to extinguish the fire. Our fixed hose reel training will show you how to use a fixed hose reel to suppress a fire including effective ranges and common troubleshooting. Training includes hands-on use of a fixed hose reel when possible.