NAFTD Announces Rules of Engagement for Fire Service Training

June 18, 2014

Part of the 2014 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week theme of “Train Like You Fight” focuses on practicing safety on the training ground. In conjunction with Safety and Health Week, the North American Fire Training Directors (NAFTD) and the IAFC Safety, Health, and Survival Section have released the Rules of Engagement for Safe Fire Service Training.

This new resource highlights 10 practices all fire departments should follow to ensure a safe and effective training program. The Rules of Engagement for Fire Service Training will be available soon for download from the NAFTD web site at www.naftd.org, the Safety, Health, and Survival Section web site at www.iafcsafety.org, and the Safety and Health Week web site at www.safetyandhealthweek.org. Learn more about the Rules in the webinar recorded on June 16, “Eliminating LODDs in Fire Service Training.”

The Rules of Engagement for Safe Fire Service Training is the latest in a series of safety and health focused practices for departments. In 2012, the IAFC Safety, Health, and Survival Section released the Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Survival and the Incident Commander’s Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Safety, along with lesson plans for teaching the rules to personnel. Also that year, the National Volunteer Fire Council released the Rules of Engagement for Firefighter Health to teach personnel what they need to do to protect their health and stay at their best.

Enforce all of the Rules of Engagement in your department to ensure the safety, health, and wellbeing of your first responders on the training ground and on the fireground.