How often have you heard the phrase “Once you get to the fire, then the work begins?” This is not entirely true. In fact, the work begins before anyone steps foot on a piece of apparatus — it begins with driver training.

In the United States, very few documents are as easy to obtain as the drivers license. Automobiles are among the very few potential deadly weapons that are given to people with so little training. They kill thousands of people every week, yet how often are people required to seek training?

Now think of the size and speed of modern fire apparatus and apply the same logic. It's a prescription for disaster if a chief officer thinks that a commercial drivers license or other document qualifies someone to operate a large vehicle professionally. The fact is, we wouldn't think of allowing a pilot to take off without having gone through rigorous training. Why then would we allow a firefighter with no rigorous training to drive a piece of apparatus?

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 73 firefighters died as a result of apparatus accidents from 1994 to 2000. That's an average of more than 10 per year — an astounding number. Bear in mind that this figure pales in comparison to the number of other accidents in which both firefighters and civilians are injured. There's no national number available, but one can infer from regional media reports that thousands are injured and many more minor accidents occur that don't receive attention.

Training is a necessity

The day has long since passed when a firefighter could jump in the driver's seat and just drive. Not to say that it doesn't occur, but any fire officer who values the lives of his or her firefighters as well as the citizens of the community refuses to let this happen. Being adept at taking corners or pumping does not a good driver make. It's widely thought that if it's a requirement to have a commercial drivers license to operate a fire vehicle, all else is well. This is a false assumption.

CDLS are certainly a step in the right direction, and the license does require that the driver have knowledge above and beyond the norm for driving a car. Nevertheless, it doesn't emphasize the many dangers that fire apparatus drivers encounter, nor does it take into account the design of fire apparatus. A separate drivers' course, taught initially and then repeated as continuing education, is the proper tool for this job.

There are three reasons to have a dedicated driver training program.

1. Safety

   Firefighters face enormous tasks once they arrive at a fire scene. This is widely known and accepted. What's often forgotten or overlooked is the danger they face en route. To mitigate a hazard at a fire scene, a firefighter must first arrive. Fire officers are charged with firefighters' safety, and that duty begins in the station, not at the scene.

2. Education

   One can never know enough. A firefighter who is well versed in the operation of apparatus is an educated driver who can pass along that information to younger, inexperienced firefighters.

3. Liability

   In today's litigious society, fire officers will find themselves at the forefront of any investigation regarding an accident. Outside experts will be brought in to analyze and critique the training methods. They will look at initial training as well as continuous training that changes to fit new laws and incorporates new lessons from the latest incidents. If your department is just getting by with a training program, ensure that you have an adequate legal team — you'll need their services.

A few safety checks

Before going into specific ways in which to organize an adequate training program, a few items must be discussed. Certain checks can begin immediately to save your department's reputation, as well as members' lives.

For example, depending on your work schedule, thrice monthly have the battalion or district chief on each shift ask to see the license of each driver.

A few items can be gleaned from this. For instance, if drivers don't have their licenses on them, they shouldn't be permitted to drive. If they can't produce the license in a reasonable amount of time, then request a copy of the driving record from the operator. Chances are they may have lost their license due to a driving-while-intoxicated conviction.

I know of a firefighter who was able to drive for a full year after having his license revoked for DWI. He knew of one battalion chief who checked licenses, so he avoided that shift until his license was restored. Imagine the embarrassment the situation would have caused the department if the driver were involved in an accident. Take into account the injury or death that could have occurred if this person reported to duty drunk from the night before. Make the drivers license check a standard procedure.

You should also note whether or not the driver requires corrective lenses. If it's stated on the license, then the lenses should be present on the driver.

Finally, create a database detailing all information about each piece of apparatus. If possible, use a digital camera to take photographs of each angle of the truck. Once per month, add new information such as driver complaints, scratches, dents and dings, or any mechanical problems. Correct the mechanical problems and note that in the database. This gives the fire officer written evidence of all deficiencies reported and repaired.

A model driver training program

Every department in the nation should have a driver-training program. If a department currently has a training program, it must be refreshed every two years to stay current on new apparatus, laws and trends. A small fortune can be spent in developing these training programs, but take heart — it needn't be very expensive. The payoff is enormous and that should be the goal.

Each fire department is different, and therefore there's no one-size-fits-all approach to driver training programs. Here are some departments that offer excellent driver training programs. Any fire officer can contact these departments and ask for information on their programs.

• Sacramento City (Calif.) Fire Department. A leader in the field of training apparatus drivers, SCFD is fortunate to be able to use the Sacramento Regional Driver Training Facility located at Mather Air Force Base. Contact: Sacramento City Fire Department, 1231 I St., Suite 401, Sacramento, Calif. 95814.
• Tempe (Ariz.) Fire Department. Tempe is part of the most progressive fire region in the country, and their driver-training program shows it. The first internationally accredited fire department in the country emphasizes education for its drivers. Contact: Tempe Fire Department, P.O. Box 5002, Tempe, Ariz. 85280.

If you don't have a driver education program, what are your first steps to start one? It's highly recommended that your drivers, at a minimum, meet the qualifications set forth in NFPA 1002, Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator. The National Fire Protection Association requirements ensure that your drivers are meeting an acceptable national standard.

This is vital. If you're under the impression that you aren't in an NFPA state, remember that in court, if you are meeting standards that are accepted nationwide, then you have a point in your corner. The NFPA spends tens of thousands of dollars developing these standards and they prove invaluable. You may also use their recommendations in the budget battle with those controlling the purse strings.

Determine what your state's requirements are for driver training. If at all possible, exceed them. That's often not difficult to do because most states set the barometer for the lowest department to be able to fulfill the requirements. Some states, such as California and New York, have excellent driver training programs while others are much less stringent.

Find out what works from neighbors or the departments listed. There's no need to reinvent the wheel, nor is there any shame in asking others what worked for them. In the age of e-mail, you can often receive a reply in minutes. Take the best from several programs and add your expertise to it!

What you will want to do is gather your research and begin to document what it is you want to include in the driver-training program. Once you have enough information, begin to develop the program to fit your department using these starting points:

• Incorporate all state requirements as well as NFPA 1002.
• Determine what is feasible for your department. If your department doesn't have a ladder truck, you don't need to include it at this point.
• Ensure that the instructors are certified through the state or a regional academy.
• Develop a lesson plan.
• Submit the plan for legal review by an attorney.
• Find a suitable location to perform driving evolutions.

Cover the 15 essentials

In developing the lesson plan, there are many items that need to be covered. These are the essentials for every driver-training lesson plan:

1. Discuss state traffic laws as they pertain to emergency vehicles. What do state laws require operators to do when approaching a stopped school bus?

2. Discuss local traffic ordinances, both county and municipal.

3. Review the requirements for licensure by the state. Is a CDL required? Perhaps your state requires a Class E or Class III license.

4. Discuss departmental procedures such as the new standard operating guidelines with respect to driving a piece of apparatus.

5. The instructor should discuss the different makes and models of apparatus presently in use by the department. Discuss the differences including the location of hazard lights, emergency brakes and other appurtenances.

6. Provide a lecture on aerodynamics as it relates to the shape and size of fire apparatus. Discuss yaw, or the movement from side to side, and cover the effect that wind has on a moving object with high sides.

7. Provide a list of all mechanical items to be checked daily and go over each item.

8. Perform a lecture on air brakes. Students who have CDLS will already have a fundamental understanding.

9. Provide lectures on each type of apparatus in the fleet.

10. Discuss tanker apparatus in-depth as tankers account for roughly 50% of all apparatus accidents, especially rollovers.

11. Discuss weather conditions and provide reasons that speed must be reduced.

12. Discuss the times of calls. If it is 14:30 on a weekday, the driver might encounter schoolchildren.

13. Provide material on safe distances between vehicles.

14. Lecture on braking, turning, backing and speed.

15. Discuss skid recovery, loss of brakes, and overcompensation during a skid and leaving the asphalt.

Keep in mind that no list is all-inclusive. Items will surely be added as the chief develops the program. The next step is actual driving. Classroom instruction is valuable, but actually driving the apparatus around cones, using the brakes and downshifting is where learning occurs. A spot located away from traffic, structures or geological hazards presents the best learning opportunity.

Once lesson plans are completed and a spot is chosen for practical work, then a careful review of the program is in order. Ask other fire chiefs from around the country to comment on your plan. Take it to the town or county attorney to determine that you have adequately covered the legal bases. Revise as needed. It's not a one-time shot; it's a commitment to excellence.

---

Jay Lowry has served in fire service positions from firefighter to chief fire marshal. He has been on various NFPA committees as well as published in magazines and newspapers. He is currently finishing a book for first-year firefighters.

Florida offers driver training symposium

Here's a simple test for your apparatus and driver engineers. Ask them these three questions, and see what kind of answers you get.

1. How do you determine if an inside (dual) tire is low or flat?

2. How often do you check it?

3. When is the last time you checked it?

The correct answers are:

1. Either thumping, a term used in the trucking industry that describes the quick check truck drivers do to sound for flat tires by striking each tire with a Billy bat or the handle of a heavy tool such as a hydrant wrench, or by using a tire air pressure gauge which is more accurate but more labor intensive and likely to be passed over.

2. Daily, absolutely before the first run.

3. Today.

If you discover that your people don't know, then you need to know about the Florida Fire Chief's Association Annual Fire Apparatus Technician's Symposium held in Ocala, Fla., March 10-14. The symposium is an annual training event featuring not only training tracks for seasoned technicians of the general order, but also emergency vehicle technicians and driver/engineers. The driver/engineer training focuses directly on the basic mechanical awareness that is required and expected of professional drivers and the new NFPA 1071.

True, it's the fleet technician's responsibility to maintain and repair the apparatus, but it's a whole lot better when the technician gets input from the guys and gals who drive the equipment daily.

For more information, contact the Florida Association of EVTS at 386-676-2744.