First attack firefighting training at your site
Fire extinguisher training forms part of First Attack Firefighting. Participants learn practical use of extinguishers, fire blankets and hose reels, and just as importantly, when intervention is not safe and they must withdraw and evacuate.
First attack firefighting is not about putting out every fire. It is about recognising when early intervention is low risk, reporting the incident correctly, and knowing when to leave. Hands-on training uses live fire gas props in a controlled, realistic environment.
Site-specific fire extinguisher, fire blanket and fire hose reel training delivered on-site across Canberra, ACT and surrounding NSW.
ACTWELL delivers this course as private, site-specific training. Accredited public sessions are available at our training facility.
Your facility may already have fire extinguishers on the walls, fire blankets in the kitchen, and hose reels in the stairwells. The equipment is there, but if the people nearby are not confident they know how to use it, when to use it, and when to evacuate instead, then the equipment is not doing what it was installed to do. This course closes that gap.
First attack firefighting training prepares selected staff to respond to a fire in its early stages, using installed firefighting equipment only when it is safe and appropriate to do so. This training is delivered where first attack firefighting is included in the site’s emergency procedures, in line with AS 3745-2010.
This course is based on how fire behaves indoors, which is vastly different to an outdoor campfire. Participants learn when early intervention is low risk, how to report the incident correctly, and knowing when to withdraw and evacuate. The decision to leave is as important as the decision to act.
Because the training is delivered on-site, your team learns with the training version of the equipment actually installed at your facility. They practise with our live fire props, in the environment where they would need to respond.
Our trainers are emergency service professionals. That operational experience shapes every session.
Who this course is for
This course is suitable for organisations that have identified first attack firefighting as part of their emergency response procedures:
- All nominated Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) staff
- Staff nominated to use fire extinguishers, fire blankets or hose reels
- Workplaces with increased fire risk due to processes, equipment or materials
- Sites where early fire intervention may reduce risk to life or escalation
- Only staff nominated by the Emergency Planning Committee should undertake this training in line with the emergency plan.
What you will learn
- Understand the role of first attack firefighting within the ECO and emergency response procedures
- Prepare for site-specific fire risks
- Understand fire behaviour
- Identify and report fires promptly
- Evacuate from endangered areas and recognise when evacuation is required
- Recognise different classes of fire and select the correct firefighting equipment
- Operate fire extinguishers, fire blankets and hose reels safely where installed
- Determine when it is unsafe or inappropriate to fight a fire
- Follow procedures after firefighting equipment has been used
- Hands-on extinguisher and fire blanket training is conducted using live fire gas props. Fire hose reel use is also covered where applicable to the site.
How competence is demonstrated
This is non-accredited training aligned with AS 3745-2010 and AS 4083-2010. ACTWELL delivers the training in line with the elements outlined in the standard, including delivery by a competent person. Participants demonstrate competence through involvement in the practical and theory components required for the role. There is no formal written assessment.
Skills retention
First attack firefighting skills should be refreshed at intervals no greater than two years. If your team also holds ECO or warden responsibilities, the six-monthly skills retention cycle for ECO members applies separately.
Delivery format
Training is delivered on-site at your workplace so scenarios and equipment familiarisation are specific to your facility.
Also need warden training?
If your team needs both Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) warden training and first attack firefighting, our combined ECO and first attack course delivers both in a single session.
Not sure what you need? Talk to Us
Common questions
Is fire extinguisher training the same as First Attack Firefighting?
Yes. First Attack Firefighting is the formal name for workplace fire extinguisher training. It also covers fire blankets, hose reels, fire classes, and the judgement call that matters most: when not to fight a fire.
Do you service or test fire extinguishers?
No. We train your people to use the equipment. Servicing, testing and tagging is a separate trade, and your maintenance provider handles it.
Do wardens need first attack training?
Only if first attack firefighting is included in your site’s emergency procedures. Where it is, we can deliver it standalone or combined with warden training in our ECO and First Attack combined course.
