Fire Extiguishing Course – AS1
Initial fire extinguishing means tackling a fire at its early stage using readily available firefighting equipment. The objective is to control the fire before it causes significant damage or grows beyond control.
Basic fire extinguishing skills are an important life skill for everyone. These skills may be needed unexpectedly anywhere – in traffic, at home, or in the workplace. In addition to learning the theory of fire and combustion, participants will practise initial fire extinguishing using both a fire blanket and a portable fire extinguisher.
After completing the Initial Fire Extinguishing Course, you will be better prepared to act as a fire watch during hot work operations. A Hot Work Card is not always required for a fire watch. Any requirement for a valid Hot Work Card can be found in the safety instructions issued by the insurance company covering the site and in the applicable hot work permit plan. If either of these documents requires a Hot Work Card, the Initial Fire Extinguishing Certificate alone is not sufficient.
The practical extinguishing exercise completed during the Initial Fire Extinguishing Course is the same as the one included in the Hot Work Card training. The skills gained through initial fire extinguishing training can be extremely valuable in the event of a fire.
What the Client Should Know About the Course Arrangements
To conduct the Initial Fire Extinguishing Course, a classroom or a similar indoor space is required where the theoretical part of the course can be presented to the participants. If the venue is equipped with a large screen or a projector, that is ideal.
For the practical exercise, an area of approximately 5 × 10 metres is required. We will provide all the equipment needed for the fire extinguishing training exercises.
Kurssilaisilla on hyvä olla hiukset kiinni ja vaatetuksen on hyvä olla vähemmän luonnonkuitua, ei herkästi syttyviä tekokuituja.
Course Delivery
The Initial Fire Extinguishing Course includes two sections:
- Theory session: Fundamentals of combustion and fire extinguishing. (1 hour)
- Fire extinguishing exercise: Every participant will practise extinguishing a fire themselves. (1 hour)
During the theoretical part of the course, we will cover, among other things, the following topics:
- The Importance and Objectives of Initial Fire Extinguishing
- Identifying Fire Hazards in the Surrounding Environment
- Using Fire Blanket
- Using portable Fire Extinguisher
Following the theory session, participants will move on to practical training, where everyone will practise using a fire blanket and a portable fire extinguisher.
Participants will wear protective gloves during the fire blanket exercise. No gloves are required for the portable fire extinguisher exercise.
The course takes approximately two hours to complete.
After completing the Initial Fire Extinguishing Course, the training will be recorded in the register maintained by SPEK (the Finnish National Rescue Association). Participants can also obtain an AS1 Initial Fire Extinguishing Card as evidence of successful completion of the course, if needed. Physical card subject to an additional charge. The card is valid for five years.