Course administration

Requirements for participation and ways of participation

Every year, around 8 000 firefighters come to the International Fire Academy and the Intercantonal Fire Service Training Centre as participants making use of our training services. About a quarter of all training services are provided and carried out by external organisers. Thus, the conditions for participation and the ways of participation vary accordingly.

Requirements for participation

For each training service, the organiser will create a course confirmation containing all relevant information for participation. This includes course schedule and location, individual participation requirements and equipment that each participant must bring with them. Read the course confirmation carefully and bring it with you on the first day of the course.

Being fit for respiratory protective equipment

A medically certified suitability for the use of respiratory protection (SCBA) is required for all training courses with respiratory protection. It is the responsibility of the organiser to verify that all participants can prove confirmed physical suitability for respiratory protection as well as sufficient training for the use of breathing apparatus.

In form and rested

Most training services require good physical condition and attention capacity. Please note, therefore, that you are rested and fit for training services. Restrictions such as discomfort, injuries, fatigue and the like are disadvantageous to successful training. The course commander or the representative of an organizer may refuse participation in a learning service at any time in the event of insufficient performance of the participant.

Alcohol, medicines and drugs

Medicine, drug and alcohol consumption not only significantly impairs performance, but can have serious implications for training operations and its safety. Therefore, participants under the influence of medicine, drugs and alcohol are generally excluded from training services (exception: medically prescribed medications that do not affect personal performance and safety). Alcohol is only served in the evening after the end of all training services and exclusively in the lounge. We reserve the right to restrict alcohol consumption in evaluation of the following training day. If at the beginning of the training, it is assumed that a participant is not sober, an alcohol test is carried out on site. The house rules apply.

Ways to participate

Organizers use our training infrastructure in a variety of ways. Depending on the organizer, the type of training and other parameters, the registration procedures can be very different in individual cases. It is usually the case that firefighters are registered by their fire service for a training service. As a rule, we do not offer training services, which can be booked directly by firefighters on their own. If you want to book a course, there are different contacts. Responsibilities are explained in the following tabs.

Tunnel courses (CH)
Swiss fire services that are deployed in national road tunnels and/or railway tunnels register the firefighters to be trained via the cantonal fire service inspectorates. The registered participants then receive the call-ups either directly or via the reporting organisation.

SWISS STANDARD COURSES
Tunnel courses (international)
International firefighter entities (e.g. a fire academy) and fire services book the desired tunnel training service directly with the International Fire Academy and send their firefighters for training at the agreed time.

INTERNATIONAL OFFERS
Training and operation modules (CH)
Fire services book the desired training and deployment modules directly with the Intercantonal Fire Service Training Centre and send their firefighters for training at the agreed time.

OFFERS FOR FIRE SERVICES
Cantonal courses (CH)
The cantonal fire service inspectorates of the cantons of Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Jura and Solothurn use our training infrastructure for their own courses. The fire services report their training requirements and participants to the cantonal fire service inspectorate, which then issues the requests for the courses.

CANTONAL COURSES
National courses (CH)
National organisers such as the Swiss Fire Service Coordination (FKS) or the Swiss Firefighting Association (SFV) offer their own courses on the training infrastructure of the Intercantonal Fire Service Training Centre. The fire services notify the organiser of their training requirements and the participants. The organiser then offers the participants for the respective course.

NATIONAL COURSES
Use of training infrastructure by fire services
In addition to booking ready-to-use training and operational modules, fire services can also use the training infrastructure and organise their own training units. In this case, the fire service agrees on their desired programme with us and offers their firefighters directly.

OFFERS FOR FIRE SERVICES