By: Jason Jantzi, Sr. Risk Management Consultant – Public Safety

With safety and risk reduction as the foundation of any live fire training program, the following factors further enhance effectiveness, defensibility, and training outcomes.

Clear Training Objectives

Live fire training should never occur without clearly defined objectives. Statements such as “we just want to go burn stuff” do not constitute a training objective and provide no meaningful benchmark for success. Prior to any live fire evolution, objectives must be specific, measurable, and communicated to all instructors and participants. Districts should be able to articulate how success will be evaluated, including what performance indicators or skill benchmarks will be observed and documented.

Use of a Safe and Compliant Facility

Live fire training must be conducted in a facility that meets applicable NFPA standards, with no exceptions. Facility safety evaluations are not a one-time task and must be completed prior to every training event. Walkways, doorways, stairwells, ventilation features, ignition systems, and emergency egress points must all be inspected.

In Class B facilities, ignition systems including go or no-go sequences and piloted ignition systems must be verified as operational. Any identified deficiencies must be corrected before training begins. If the facility is not safe on the day of training, the training does not occur.

Sufficient and Qualified Instructor Staffing

Live fire training requires a significantly higher instructor to student ratio than most other forms of training. At a minimum, there must be one instructor for every five students, with no fewer than four instructors present during any live fire evolution. When students are operating inside the fire compartment, at least one instructor must be inside with them.

Adequate staffing is not only a safety requirement. It is a critical control for managing student behavior, monitoring conditions, and intervening early when problems develop.

Checklists and Go or No-Go Procedures

High risk industries such as aviation, the military, and space operations rely on checklists and go or no go sequences to manage complex and hazardous activities. Live fire training warrants the same discipline.

Prior to ignition, instructors should follow a structured checklist verifying that the fire is ready, water supply is established, safety officer assignments are in place, instructors are positioned appropriately, and all students are properly equipped with compliant personal protective equipment. These procedures must be followed every time, without exception.

Preparation for the Unexpected

Unlike most training environments, live fire training introduces variables that make student behavior less predictable. Claustrophobia, stress responses, equipment issues, and instinctive reactions can cause students to act in ways they would not under normal conditions.

Students may exit the structure without notice, remove protective equipment to address perceived problems, or react unsafely during flashover training. Instructors must be prepared to recognize and immediately address these situations through clear guidance, practiced emergency procedures, and decisive intervention.

The Importance of a Live Fire Training Policy

Virtually every fire department will be involved in live fire training at some point, regardless of whether the department owns a training facility or conducts training infrequently. As a result, every department must have clear policies and procedures governing live fire training.

These policies are necessary not only when using department owned facilities or acquired structures, but also when working with mobile training providers or sending personnel to another agency or institution for training. Departments remain responsible for establishing expectations, defining roles, and ensuring compliance.

Well-developed policy provides a critical layer of safety, consistency, and legal defensibility when the inherent risks of live fire training are present.