The National Rural Fire Authority (NRFA) provides a number of selected higher level forest and rural fire management courses and workshops on subjects that are best provided for on a national basis.

The NRFA encourages Rural Fire Authorities and Regional Rural Fire Committees to become a partner with accredited training providers to deliver other rural fire training using regional coordinated training programs.

The NRFA will also continue to co-ordinate nominations for overseas courses.

This NRFA Circular is presented in three parts:

A.   NRFA training courses and workshops

B.   NRFA training resources available to RFA's

C.  Overseas provided training courses

1.    Introduction to Principal Rural Fire Officer (PRFO) Workshop          

A four day workshop that provides an overview of the responsibilities and administration functions required of a PRFO and a Rural Fire Authority. Focusing on newly appointed personnel and/or those that have not had tuition in this subject. Note: This workshop does not have a unit standard outcome.

Priority for acceptance to this course will be for those appointed or about to be appointed to the position of PRFO or Deputy PRFO.

The venue for this course will be in Palmerston North.

Details of course and nomination form attached as Annex A

2.    Intermediate Fire Behaviour (Unit Standard 4648 Version 4)

In conjunction with Telford Polytechnic this revised five day course covers in detail the factors of the fire environment, the influences of the fire environment on fire behaviour in vegetation fuels and the use of fire behaviour information for fire management.

Pre-requisites of unit standards 14564 Demonstrate knowledge of the fire environment on vegetation fire behaviour and 14556 Apply fire weather index system data for fire preparedness measures are mandatory for nomination to this course.

Participants will have the opportunity to undertake assessment to attain Unit Standard 4648 during this course. This includes completion of course exercises, evening homework sheets, an end of course written examination and two application exercises.

The location for this course will be determined on nominations received.

Details of course and nomination form attached as Annex B  

3.    Unit Standard 4648 Fire Behaviour Workshop

To assist those that have not yet completed their case study for completion of unit standard 4648 it has been proposed that a two day Unit Standard 4648 workshop be held (most likely in Canterbury) in July or August.

This course would be run by Scion, with support from the NRFA and the local RRFC, and could be based on either:

A. Completing the previous written fire behaviour "case study" or

B. Undertaking practical fire behaviour calculations and mapping assessments (this option will include being conversant with the use of the "Manual for predicting fire behaviour in NZ fuels").

Depending on demand, similar workshops could then be held in other parts of the country later in 2010/2011, although this will need to be coordinated with the Regional Coordinating Committees to manage the time and costs involved.

Please register your interest in attending a one day US4648 Workshop and indicate your desire to complete either the old fire behaviour case study or new practical fire behaviour assessments.

Availability of this workshop is subject to demand and will be considered on a regional basis.

Registration of interest for this workshop attached as Annex C

4.    Determination of Origin and Cause of Vegetation Fires

A five day course covering the theory and practical applications of determining the origin and cause of fires in vegetation. Completion of this course will be subject to favourable weather conditions to allow for the carrying out of the practical fire exercises.

Pre-requisite of unit standard 4648 Explain fundamentals of vegetation fire behaviour and 20392 protect and preserve a fire scene is mandatory for nomination to this course.

This course is based on Unit Standard 10615 Investigate causes of vegetation fires. Completion of course exercises, a course written examination and a post course fire investigation report will be required for completion of the assessment for the unit standard 10615.

Providing this course will be subject to nominations received, availability of resources and consideration on a national requirement.

Details of course and nomination form attached as Annex D  

Rural Firefighter and Crew Leader Training Packages

The following revised training packages are now available in PDF format, as free downloads to RFA's on the NRFA (firenet) Website. Access is via the NZ Fire Service portal system.

3286               Use handtools

3287               Use water

3270/21417   Water supplies & Use light portable pump

4573               Use handheld radio

20386             Use portable pumps

14564             Fire environment

3291               Lead a crew

The National Rural Fire Authority will coordinate all requests for New Zealand personnel wishing to attend overseas rural fire management training courses.

In an endeavour to achieve earlier notifications for these courses the NRFA has introduced a revised nomination process. See below notes.

Please also note that courses are subject to confirmation of being programmed in the 2010/11 year by the agency involved. The NRFA will undertake all endeavours to attain places on these courses when they are programmed.

Preference will be given to those personnel involved with Incident Management Teams.

Nomination Process: (Australian and Canadian training courses)

1. Personnel, via their Rural Fire Authority, can register with the NRFA there interest in attending the overseas course/s. Please advise your registration of interest through to Ian Millman at [ian.millman@fire.org.nz].

2. On receipt of the overseas agency training calendars and indication of availability of positions on each course, the NRFA will provide further information to those that have registered an interest.

3. The NRFA will confirm the NZ nominations with the overseas agencies

4. Successful nominations will be advised

For  registration of interest see Annex E

Note: The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) training programme was also circulated by email on 6 April to all fire authorities

Murray Dudfield

National Rural Fire Officer

Circular 2010/08: 2010/11 Training Schedule