Safety and Orientation contains all legal and safety information that is required by OSHA, CCR, San Mateo County Fire Department, and the Santa Cruz County Fire Department. Topics include: EEO, Elderly & Child Abuse, PPE, volunteer rights, department policies, and how to work around fire apparatus.

During the Structure Module, students will obtain knowledge of basic fire behavior, ventilation, live fire and live fire exercises, basic search techniques, hose advancement, and ladders. This class will enable volunteers to participate in structural firefighting operational incidents.

The Wildland module will cover S-130 & S-190. All Volunteers are required to have this certification. This entire module will cover wildland firefighting terminology and safety, parts of a vegetation fire, fire shelters, handline construction, use of water on wildland fires, simple and progressive hose lays, and mop-up.

The Haz Mat segment is designed to help students gain an improved capability to respond to Haz Mat events in a safe and competent manner, within the typical limited response resources and responder capabilities at the “Operations” level. This course also introduces students to decontamination procedures as well as the codes and procedures required in order to deal with confined space rescues.

Saturdays & Sundays:  0800-1600

•  All CAL FIRE applications must be approved and received in the Training Office 6 weeks prior to the class.
• Once the application has been received and approved by the Training Office, the applicant will receive a letter of
  confirmation that they have been authorized to take an entry-level physical at either:
            • Kaiser for San Mateo County Fire Volunteers or
            • Santa Cruz Occupational Medical Center for Santa Cruz County Fire Volunteers.
•  Once the Training Office receives the Medical Physical Clearance Notification from Work Force Medical or the 
   Occupational Health Center, the applicant will be given instructions on how and where to:
           • Complete their SCBA fit test
       • Be fitted for Structure PPE
  These steps shall be completed prior to Safety & Orientation.

Prior to the Structure portion (dates will be provided at Orientation):

• ICS-100 and ICS-200 must be completed.  Please go to LINKS on the Home page to access the online classes. Once completed, print out your certificate to submit to Training on the first day of class.
• Task Sheets A-C from the Safety & Orientation binder must be completed and presented on the first day of class.

Prior to the Wildland portion:

•  You must have completed the online S-130 & S-190 courses. Please follow this link:    http://www.nfaonline.dhs.gov/browse/wildland.shtm#Q900 
• Full Wildland PPE required.

Structure Module:  100% cotton, plain, dark blue, crew neck T-Shirt with short sleeves, 100% cotton jeans,
Attire will be appropriate for public contact and in a state of good repair. No shorts, tank tops, sandals, etc., will be allowed.
Full Structure PPE is required for this course.

Wildland Module:  100% cotton, plain, dark blue, crew neck T-Shirt with short sleeves, 100% cotton jeans, heavy-duty, lace-type work boots with deeply lugged Vibram-type soles and heels. The uppers shall be 100 percent leather, at least seven inches in height. The toe of the boot should be of a hard material (not steel-toed) to reduce the potential for toe injuries, according to Cal-OSHA Regulation 3410B. Attire will be appropriate for public contact and in a state of good repair. No shorts, tank tops, sandals, etc., will be allowed.
Wildland PPE is required.