NFPA 1006-08 updates - International Technical Rescue ...

1 nfpa 1006-2008 Edition updates Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications ITRS 2008 page 1 nfpa 1006-2008 Edition updates Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications nfpa Standards apply to a wide variety of Rescue response organizations and personnel. Even if you re not part of a fire department, awareness of these standards, and their updates , aid to serve as resource for continued training. nfpa 1006 is the Standard on Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications and 2008 brings a new edition of the standard. New job performance requirements are identified, additional chapters added and terminology changes are only a few of the new revisions.

2 Overview Scope: This standard establishes the minimum job performance requirements necessary for fire service and other emergency response personnel who perform Technical Rescue operations. Purpose: The purpose of this standard is to specify the minimum job performance requirements for service as a rescuer in an emergency response organization. It is not the intent of his standard to restrict any jurisdiction from exceeding theses minimum requirements. Job Performance Requirement (JPR): A written statement that describes a specific job task, lists the items necessary to complete a tasks and defines measurable or observable outcomes and evaluation areas for the specific task.

3 Technical Rescue : The application of special knowledge, skills, and equipment to safely resolve unique and/or complex Rescue situations. ** Technical Rescuer: A person who is trained to perform or direct the Technical Rescue . Comparisons, updates and Changes nfpa 1006-03 nfpa 1006- 08 Document Title: Standard for Rescue Technician Professional Qualifications Document Title: Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications The term TECHNICIAN has been completely removed from this document. No longer does the term TECHNICIAN apply to an individual s level of qualification.

4 nfpa 1006-2008 Edition updates Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications ITRS 2008 page 2 nfpa 1006-03 nfpa 1006- 08 Minimum Requirements: For certification, the Rescue technician shall perform all of the job performance requirements in Chapter 5 and all job performance requirements listed in at least one of the specialty areas (Chapters 6 through 14). CORE + 1 Minimum Requirements: Qualification is specific to a specialty area. For qualification, a rescuer shall perform all of the job performance requirements in Chapter 5 and all job performance requirements listed in at least one level of a specialty area (Chapters 6 through 18).

5 CORE + DISCIPLINE LEVEL Technical rescuers will be identified by their specialty area and level of qualification ( , Rope Rescuer Level I, Confined Space Rescuer Level II, etc.). Level I. This level shall apply to individuals who identify hazards, use equipment, and apply limited techniques specified in this standard to perform Technical Rescue operations. Level II. This level shall apply to individuals who identify hazards, use equipment, and apply advanced techniques specified in this standard to perform Technical Rescue operations. Nine (9) disciplines identified: Chapters 6-14 (or +1)varied order than document Rope Confined Space Rescue Trench Rescue Structural Collapse Rescue Vehicle and Machinery Rescue Surface Water Rescue Dive Rescue Wilderness Rescue Subterranean Rescue Thirteen (13) disciplines identified.

6 Chapters 6-18 (or +disciplines) Rope Rescue Confined Space Rescue Trench Rescue Structural Collapse Vehicle and Machinery Rescue Surface Water Rescue Swift Water Rescue Dive Rescue Ice Rescue Surf Rescue Wilderness Rescue Mine and Tunnel Rescue Cave Rescue nfpa 1006-2008 Edition updates Standard for Technical Rescuer Professional Qualifications ITRS 2008 page 3 nfpa 1006-03 nfpa 1006- 08 Designated Distances: Not established in JPRs Designated Distances: A minimum distance is designated in many JPRs throughout the standard. Some examples include: Direct a lowering operation in a high-angle, given Rescue personnel, an established lowering system, a minimum load travel distance of 3 m (10 ft), and a load to be moved, so Move a victim in a high-angle environment, given a rope system, a minimum vertical travel distance of m (20 ft), victim transfer devices, and.

7 Use single rope techniques to ascend a minimum of m (100 ft) in free space, given .. Conclusions It is difficult to measure a person s proficiency and competency. However, efforts are being made to offer some sort of criterion from which to base an individual s performance for not just a test for certification. Although it would be beyond to scope of the standard to dictate specific techniques, some sort of measurable outcome is being presented. It is up to the Authority Having Jurisdiction to interpret, use, and implement these Job Performance Requirements. nfpa Standards can be a useful tool from which to base training and performance expectations.

8 Whether or not your organization strictly adheres to these guidelines, an awareness of nfpa 1006, and the intent of the standard, becomes growingly important to the Technical rescuer and practitioner. Additional Resource and Note Working at the state training academy, I understand the continued disconnect between TRAINING and TESTING as well as the idea that CERTIFICATION and QUALIFICATION are not synonymous. In fact, it is a near constant challenge to configure a way to offer a way to measure proficiency of a particular skill while still allowing multiple ways to accomplish that skill.

9 In an effort to offer fair and subjective testing measures, Georgia Fire Academy has established a new testing instrument that has been used for nearly three (3) years and is proving to work well. Many other firefighting skills are now being rewritten in a similar format. Attached are a few examples of these skills. An entire set of Rope Rescuer Skill Sheets for testing can be found online at the Georgia Fire Academy website under Technical Rescue or at Feel free to view them as a reference for performance measurements. --Mel Eady, GFA Technical Rescue Program Coordinator 540 Rescue Belay System Set-up Evaluation Criteria: 2- 540 is properly reeved and functions efficiently.

10 540 is appropriately located in relation to the mainline. 1- 540 is properly reeved and functions but is rigged off to the side. 0- 540 is not properly reeved or is unsafe. 540 Rescue Belay System Operation Evaluation Criteria: 2- (all must apply) Candidate manages rope so it pays in and out smoothly; Candidate operates the belay for both raise and lower maintaining appropriate tension; Candidate catches an unexpected load with belay; releases belay; resets belay system; 1- Candidate requires assistance with rope management or must stop to correct the problem; Candidate operates belay for both raise and lower but is inefficient ( allows slack to form with 540 ) Candidate is catches unexpected load but slips more than 6 before engaging.