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International Fire Academy

At the beginning of 2019, the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway put two new fire and rescue trains into operation, each consisting of a combination of road-rail vehicles and rail-only vehicles. We visited Christian Imsand, the head of the Furka Base Tunnel Rescue Service, and Roland Guntern, the operations manager of the operational fire service, in Oberwald to learn more from them about this rescue apparatus, which is unique in some respects.

During tactics training at the International Fire Academy, questions are repeatedly asked about command structure and tactical practice at the fire service's location. Therefore, in this article, we have once again compiled important information on command structures and also address the special challenge of operational communication, which, according to our experience, should be practised very intensively. 

Because the detail lessons of reconnaissance, search & rescue and firefighting cannot be carried out in parallel in the railway training tunnel, a training concept for a maximum of 16 participants per standard railway course was initially developed. Thus, all lessons could be carried out in two days in the sense of experiential learning. However, one problem remained: Especially for the training drills, groups of up to 24 participants had proven themselves in all other courses of the…

In training operations, it is regularly noticed that the danger of reversing airflow direction and thereby reversing smoke propagation during fire operations in tunnels is generally underestimated. That is why we address this topic, which is extremely important for the safety of the emergency personnel, in this article and show how the risks of a sudden reversal of airflow can be reduced.

For most operations in road tunnels, the fire services can drive their vehicles directly to the incident scene. On the other hand, in most railway tunnels, this is only possible with special vehicles, for example, fire and rescue trains or road-rail vehicles that can travel on roads and on rails. This article provides an overview of the most important vehicle types and their tactical advantages and disadvantages.

From the perspective of experiential learning, learning cannot be limited to the acquisition of knowledge. The focus is instead on experiencing relevant situations and challenges. At the same time, the importance of specialised knowledge should not be underestimated when firefighters want to tackle tunnel fires jointly. The necessary basic knowledge for tunnel operations as well as helpful background information are presented compactly in words and pictures in the specialist books «Firefighting…

After the major fires in road tunnels in 1999, the prevailing opinion was that fire services could do little about tunnel fires. Today, most fire services consider themselves well equipped for this task. Urs Kummer, CEO of the International Fire Academy, and Christian Brauner, head of the Didactics and Development Team, trace the development since 2001.

The preparatory and practical courses «Fire Fighting in Road and Rail Tunnels» at the Thuringian State Fire and Civil Protection School (TLFKS) place high demands on the participants. In order to boost motivation and attention to the extensive learning content, the training team relies on adventure-based educational elements.

Even though underground car parks are underground transport systems, the operating conditions differ significantly from those of a fire in a tunnel. Therefore, full-time instructors, together with the Didactics and Development Team of the International Fire Academy, developed tactical principles and guidance on practical procedures for operations in underground car parks. They are taught in the underground car park intensive course.

After the major tunnel fires in the Mont Blanc and Tauern road tunnels in 1999 and the Gotthard Road Tunnel on 24 October 2001, the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) reviewed all national road tunnels with a length of more than 300 metres for possible optimisation of tunnel safety. We spoke to Christian Gammeter, Head of Tunnel and Geotechnical Engineering in the Infrastructure Standards and Safety Division, about the current status of safety measures.

24 October marks the 20th anniversary of the major fire in the Gotthard Road Tunnel. After the collision of two articulated lorries, an electrical short circuit caused a fire to break out in one of the tractor units, which quickly spread to five other lorries. Eleven people lost their lives. We wanted to know how the Gotthard portal fire service has changed since this incident and visited the deputy commander of the Schadenwehr Gotthard, Beat Walther, at the Göschenen depot.

More and more hydrogen-powered vehicles are on the roads and thus also in tunnels and underground car parks. That is why the International Fire Academy is involved in the «HyResponder» project. With fire services and fire service schools from several European countries, a special training course is to be developed for vehicles and systems with fuel cell technology. At the halfway point of the three-year project, we provide an interim report in the following.

When rescuing people from smoke hazards, fire services use fire escape hoods as standard. Respiratory devices with filters protect the persons to be rescued from toxic fire gases by filtering them out. However, if the air breathed in through the filter contains too little oxygen, there is a risk of severe health damage after only a short time. This article explains why fire escape hoods with compressed air should be used for long rescue routes, which can supply the persons to be rescued with…

In 2002 we developed our first didactic concept. The focus was on how the tunnel training facilities must be designed to provide both realistic and sufficiently safe training conditions. The now updated didactic concept of the International Fire Academy focuses on the learning model and teaching methods that underlie our training operations: We offer worlds of learning and experience - the course participants themselves do the learning.

The basis for the development of the search stick was the so-called long canes for visually impaired people. The search sticks are a further development of this product and have been optimised for fire service operations. The International Fire Academy is now launching the third version of its search stick. The new model is expected to be available for delivery from August 2021. The article explains the innovations and gives important advice for use.

Fires in railway tunnels are rare. However, many hundreds of people may try to save themselves and rush to the emergency exits when such an incident occurs. In order to support them and to receive critical information from the people escaping about the situation in the tunnel, all emergency exits should be manned as quickly as possible. To successfully man all exits, a jointly prepared operational plan by railway companies and rescue organisations is required.

During the International Fire Academy training operations, it became clear that the members of a search & rescue team can be coordinated in different ways. However, which variant is the best? The International Fire Academy's Didactics and Development Team has analysed the complex issues and now recommends that the safest course of action be taken as default: The entire search & rescue team, including the team leader, moves and works spatially as close together as possible.

In 2014, the Swiss railway infrastructure carriers commissioned the International Fire Academy in Balsthal (CH) to develop a firefighting procedure for fire incidents in railway tunnels. At first glance, a simple task. This is because the International Fire Academy had already laid the essential groundwork with its Firefighting Procedure for Road Tunnels. However, the first realisation in what was ultimately a four-year development process was: The operating conditions for fire services in…

One of the greatest challenges during operations in underground transport systems (UTS) is the transport of persons who are unable to escape over long distances. Without any transport aids, the emergency personnel can quickly reach the limits of their physical capabilities. Which equipment is best suited depends on the specific task as well as the type and design of the respective UTS. The following article provides guidance on how the question of the most suitable transport aids can be…

For each tunnel, both location-specific and facility-specific preparation for operations is required, which must be developed together with the carrier and, if necessary, the builder of the tunnel. The earlier this is started, the greater the chance of creating good working conditions for the fire services, improving safety and avoiding unnecessary costs.

Within a very short time, the Fire Service Reutlingen had to prepare itself to provide rescue services for the construction phase of Scheibengipfel Tunnel in Reutlingen. The International Fire Academy supported the fire service by giving its officers the opportunity to quickly familiarise themselves with the special conditions of underground transport systems and practically test their tactics and techniques under operational conditions.

No PowerPoint slides, no long lecture. Instead, practical exercises in feedback communication right from the start. Marianne Wernli surprised even the experienced instructors at the International Fire Academy with her 90-minute training session. It started with the description of a traffic accident.

The harmonisation and quality assurance of fire service training is one of the central tasks of the Fire Service Coordination Switzerland (FSCS). For this purpose, it relies, among other things, on the voluntary certification of training offers with the FSCS Quality Label. By the beginning of 2021, 27 courses throughout Switzerland had received this quality certificate. Among the applicants, the International Fire Academy is at the forefront with four courses.

On 28 November 2020, the Zederhaus fire service (A) was alerted to a lorry fire in the Tauern road tunnel. On-site, dangerous goods boards and a huge bang brought back bad memories of the major fire in May 1999. At that time, twelve people were killed. This time, however, the operation was far less dramatic than feared after the first shock. We spoke to the chief of the Zederhaus fire service and incident commander Harald Pfeifenberger.

In the initial phase of fire operations in underground transport system (UTS), there is often a shortage of personnel. That is why many participants ask us whether reconnaissance teams are really needed. Our answer: It depends on the situation. Reconnaissance teams are needed above all when vital information has to be obtained as quickly as possible.

The «heart» of pumped hydroelectric energy storage is located deep inside a mountain: In a cavern, pumps and turbines are installed in huge halls. The access tunnels are usually several hundred meters long. Individual company fire services have recognized the similarities between their facilities and other underground transport systems such as tunnels. They use the training infrastructure of the International Fire Academy in Lungern and their teachings for their preparation.

The leaflets of the International Fire Academy summarize essential contents of the firefighting operation procedure for firefighting operations in railway and road tunnels. They are now available for the first time for railway tunnels and in the second edition for road tunnels in the «Knowledge» section as a download and are also available as printed copies. Both the pdf files and the leaflets can be used for training on-site.

On 5 and 6 October 2020, the International Fire Academy organised a workshop on «First responding to incidents with hydrogen-powered vehicles». It was possible to formulate relevant issues for scientific research on the specific problems of incident operations. The International Fire Academy conducted the workshop online and connected it for the first time with another first: The IFA took the chance to use the proven tabletop exercise technique in a video conference.

On 2 June 2020, a car burned down in the Bürgerwald Tunnel near Waldshut-Tiengen (D). Eleven people suffered smoke inhalation injuries. We spoke with fire chief Peter Wolf about the most important findings from this firefighting operation.

The International Fire Academy recommends to always proceed towards the fire in tunnels when reconnoitring or performing search & rescue. This article explains in detail why this can significantly reduce the risks of firefighters.

The training kit is packed. Shortly before departure Markus Vogt included the latest tunnel incidents in his presentation. Next to the laptop are thick rolls of paper and printouts for case studies and communication exercises. Information and practical training sequences will alternate for the approximately 50 participants during the one-day on-site training.

The instructors carefully observe their students in the training tunnel. They assess their level of education and give precise, short feedback after the joint reflection of each course unit. It is precisely this exchange that brings momentum to the training: The instructors respond individually to their students and at the same time, ensure a uniform training. This requires a clear training concept and regular readjustment.

How much personnel is required for firefighting operations in a road or rail tunnel? This question cannot be answered in general. Therefore, in this article, we provide some information for the facility- and site-specific personnel requirements planning.

If fuel cell technology becomes more widespread, hydrogen-powered vehicles will also be operated in tunnels and underground car parks in the future - and could catch fire there. This is why the International Fire Academy is involved in the European research project «HyTunnel-CS», which aims to develop hydrogen vehicles as safe as possible.

There are no official statistics on fires in underground transport systems. In order to get an idea of the frequency of fires, the International Fire Academy records all fire incidents in road and rail tunnels, which are reported by German-language media. This page provides an overview of the statistical evaluations as of 31. October 2019.

In 2014, the International Fire Academy launched its textbook series "Interventions in Underground Transport Systems" with the title “Firefighting Operations in Road Tunnels". The second volume is currently being written. “Firefighting Operations in Railway Tunnels" is due in March 2020.

Preparing for the most varied of scenarios as realistically as possible is a central concern of the Regio Basel Industrial Fire Service (RBIFS). «We are therefore looking for places like the Intercantonal Fire Service Training Centre in Balsthal,» explains Oliver Hofer, Fire Chief of the RBIFS Schweizerhalle. There, the RBIFS books the training infrastructure to conduct its own courses.

The Tactics Centre of the International Fire Academy is used for the education and training of incident commanders. With the specially developed projection technology, all conceivable scenarios can be represented and played through by the course participants. A central topic of practice is always communication via radio.

The didactics and development team, DDT for short, is responsible for the development of the International Fire Academy's operational procedures and defines the didactic principles. It is made up of experienced firefighters and experts in the construction and operation of traffic tunnels.

The scheduling and shorter journey for the participants were the reason for Markus Hostettler 2019 to move the respiratory protection module 3 (operation) of the Swiss Fire Service Association (SFSA) from Andelfingen to Balsthal. Not an easy task for the course manager, because differences between the training facilities influence the course of the training.

Planning is the most important tool so that everything works as reliably as possible on our training facilities, in the classrooms and the entire infrastructure. Eight employees in the maintenance department take care of the many big and small tasks. Operations manager Markus Burger explains what happens backstage in Balsthal and Lungern.