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Occupational Certificate: Firefighter
NQF Level: NQF Level 04
Minimum Credits: 149
Entry Requirements:
NQF Level 4 with Mathematical Literacy.
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Firefighter.
A Firefighter performs a variety of tasks, associated with responding to and dealing with fires and emergency situations and participating in fire prevention/safety work and training exercises. The fire fighter ensures station and equipment maintenance to ensure the delivery of effective and efficient emergency services in order to protect life, environment and property.
Qualified learners will be able to:
- Reduce the loss of life and property through fire risk identification, inspection, education and response readiness.
- Perform fire ground operations.
- Perform rescue operations in emergencies.
- Protect life, environment and property in the event of a hazardous material/dangerous goods incident.
Rationale:
This qualification addresses a need to have qualified entry level firefighters who can respond to both structural and incidental emergency situations in South Africa. The qualification has been developed in compliance with the South African National Standards, particularly Community Protection against Fire (SANS 10090:2003). This SANS standard, in turn, gives normative references to seven National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards that are registered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The most relevant NFPA standards for this qualification are NFPA 1001 and 472.
It is an entry-level qualification for persons wishing to start a career in the emergency services, especially fire and rescue services. It is for learners from formal schooling and/or employees who are currently employed as fire fighters or individuals performing fire fighting related activities.
Learners who successfully complete this qualification will have a range of foundational competencies relating to emergency services, fire fighting, rescue operations, victim care and protection of property and the environment, as well as generic skills in workplace processes.
This qualification will enable learners to progress in their careers as Fire Inspectors, Rescue Technicians, Hazardous Materials Specialists, Fire Service Instructors and beyond.
Fire services and other emergency processes have been developed according to different standards and under different bodies, ranging from municipal councils to industry as well as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). This qualification aims to establish common standards at entry level.
Learners who complete this qualification will be recognised as competent emergency services operators employable within various public as well as in the private sectors and be able to perform under supervision.
The completion and attainment of this qualification will benefit learners in terms of employment in various public as well as private sectors as they will be in possession of the required skills. The employment of qualified learners by the industry will benefit both the communities and the South African economy at large.
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES
- Conduct basic pre-incident surveys, basic fire safety surveys at low risk occupancies and present fire safety information.
- Perform fire ground operations in a safe manner to control and extinguish fires as a member of a team.
- Perform fire ground support operations in a safe manner.
- Perform wild land-fire fighting activities as a member of a team in a safe manner.
- Perform rescue and extrication activities and assist with special rescue incidents.
- Perform functions during a dangerous goods incident through the identification of dangerous goods and the implementation of appropriate actions in a safe manner.
ARTICULATION OPTIONS
This qualification provides opportunities for horizontal, vertical and diagonal articulation options.
- Horizontally the qualification may articulate to Further Education and Training Certificate: Fire and Rescue Operations, Level 4 (ID 57803).
- This qualification articulates vertically to: National Certificate: Emergency Services Supervision: Fire and Rescue Operations, Level 5 (ID 64390).