The old management adage, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure” is as applicable to the fire service as it is to any other profession.
In the fire service, we recognize the standards published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as the benchmark against which we measure most everything. Our protective ensemble, our apparatus and our stations are all designed and developed in accordance with the applicable NFPA codes and standards. Most every policy or procedure we have within our library of instructional manuals is written in accordance with the recommendations of the NFPA.
In most departments, paid and volunteer alike, the training and instruction we provide our members also follows the guidelines of NFPA. For introductory firefighter training, we follow NFPA 1001: Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications (Firefighter I & II). For apparatus operations training, we follow NFPA 1002: Standard for Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications. And for company officer development, we follow NFPA 1021: Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications.
These standards provide a baseline for professional development and training for each position within our respective organizations. But what many don’t realize is that NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program recommends that fire departments establish an annual proficiency evaluation for all members.
Many fire departments have chosen to use a Minimum Company Standards (MCS) program to meet or comply with the proficiency evaluation requirements of NFPA 1500. For departments who don’t have an established MCS program, this article will provide you with an overview of how to effectively design and develop an MCS program that meets or exceeds the requirements of NFPA 1500.
Step 1: Determine What You Need to Evaluate
The first step is to determine what performance standards (or procedures) you need to evaluate to effectively demonstrate company-level competency and efficiency within your department.
Suggested resources when doing this include your department standard operating procedures/guidelines (SOPs/SOGs), state fire academy testing and evaluation procedures, NFPA 1410: Standard on Training for Initial Emergency Scene Operation, department job descriptions, Firefighter I and II skills manuals, and the emergency vehicle operations course (EVOC) from VFIS. Following are some of the more common performance standards.
Single-Company Performance Standards
- First-due engine-Initial fire attack
- First-due engine-Initial fire attack with exposure protection
- First-due engine-Apartment lay (3″ with gated wye and two 1¾” attack lines)
- Forward lay with crosslay deployment
- Forward lay with blitz attack (master stream fed by 100 feet of 2½” or 3″ hose)
- Vertical ventilation via ground ladder access
- Vertical ventilation via aerial ladder access
- Positive pressure ventilation for a room-and- contents fire
- Primary search and rescue-first floor
- Primary search and rescue-second floor
- Vehicle extrication-rollover
- Vehicle extrication-roof removal
- Natural gas leak at the meter
- Commercial fire alarm activation-nothing visible
Multi-Company Performance Standards
- Coordinated fire attack with vertical ventilation
- Multi-line deployment with supply line
- Relay pumping with multiple attack line deployment
- Water shuttle operations-Maintain continuous flow of 250 gpm for 45 minutes
- High-rise fire attack-1¾” handline
- Rapid intervention team (RIT) deployment ops
Individual Performance Standards
- Donning an SCBA
- SCBA endurance (air management)
- Straight ladder deployment
- Extension ladder deployment with window rescue
- Forcible entry (inward/outward)
- Security bar removal
- Forcible entry-overhead/bay door
- Lost, trapped or disoriented firefighter procedures
- Approaching a downed firefighter
- Engine placement with setup for initial attack
- Truck placement with setup for upper-floor window rescue
- EVOC-Serpentine, alley dock, diminishing clearance, lane change, etc.
Step 2: Establish a Standard Format
Once you’ve established a list of the performance standards you will be evaluating, you will need to develop a standard format for your MCS program. The following is a commonly used MCS format:
- Performance Objective: Describe the overall objective of the MCS
- Description: Provide a detailed description of the required actions
- Reference: List the resources that were used to develop the MCS
- NFPA: List the applicable NFPA standards and/or sections of the standard that will be evaluated
- Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: List any prerequisite training or skills that might be required for successful completion
- Evaluation Criteria: Describe each task/action that will be evaluated
- Recommended Time Requirements: Establish a maximum time requirement for the task(s). Note: Critical tasks, steps or safety requirements should be listed as PASS/FAIL.
- Safety Precautions: Specify any potential hazards that need to be considered when completing the evaluation.
- Procedure: Step-by-step listing of the recommended procedures to correctly perform the task.
- Documentation/Scoring: Describe the method of documentation and scoring. Note: Scoring can be as simple as a checklist of the procedure with PASS/FAIL indicators for each step. You might also consider documenting completion times for critical steps and a section for notes to provide recommendations for improvement.
Step 3: Develop the Training Program
Now that you have standards and a format to present them, develop a formalized training program that details the correct/required procedures to complete the established performance standards. The training program should include a walk-through (and/or demonstration) of each performance standard, including the evaluation criteria (PASS/FAIL), the time constraints or limitations (if applicable), and any related safety precautions.
Step 4: Test Your Program
Conduct a series of pilot evaluations using numerous crews throughout the organization. Upon completing the evaluation process, review the established MCS and revise the steps or procedures based on observations and feedback from the evaluation process. Conduct a secondary evaluation to confirm the results of the changes.
Step 5: Establish a Timeline for Evaluation
Most departments conduct quarterly MCS evaluations. One recommendation might be to assign a group of 2-4 minimum company standards on a common topic (e.g., fire attack) per month for company-level training and follow up with a quarterly evaluation of the previously assigned MCS.
As an added benefit, you might consider building in an incentive program that rewards the company or companies that complete the minimum company standards with the least amount of deficiencies and without any safety violations. Note: It’s strongly recommended that you avoid attaching incentives based solely on completion times, as the competitive nature of firefighters will undoubtedly surface, leading to the establishment of bad habits.
A Work in Progress
Minimum company standards are an effective tool not only for evaluating company-level and individual performance; they also serve as a means of standardizing fireground operations throughout the organization (across shifts and companies). Keep in mind, minimum company standards and individual performance standards must remain fluid and should be reviewed and revised regularly to ensure they comply with applicable standards and the department’s latest SOPs/SOGs.
