DMACC Fire Science

Although classroom training is a great way to teach fire fighters the basics of fire behavior such as the terms of what they need to be looking for in live events. Seeing those definitions firsthand can be a much more impactful way to learn. Properly teaching fire behavior requires more than just providing a short lecture on the topic.

Max Fire Training provides DMACC Fire Technology students with that opportunity. Shawn Bloemker, the inventor of the Max Fire Box, came up to DMACC and provided a great day of fire behavior and TIC training for our Firefighter I Academy students and cadre. DMACC is lucky enough to have both the Phase I and Phase II training props in our program.

Continuing with engine and truck operations. Students drilled on different search techniques and VES. Vertical and horizontal ventilation. Different types of forcible entry including conventional, through the lock, and with power tools. They were able to use the IFSTB car fire prop to drill on roll ups to car fires. We also use the DMACC Criminal Justice house to discuss size ups, using building construction to assist in situational awareness, and search techniques inside a residence.

Firefighting and rescue operations are inherently dangerous. According to Project Mayday, 50% of Maydays called were during Search, Rescue, & Fire Control. Over 75% of Maydays called involved firefighters who fell into a floor/area below them, got entangled in wires, or had a SCBA air emergency. Firefighter I Academy students learn skills to help assist in self rescue or in RIC Operations to assist down firefighters.

Each day the DMACC Firefighter I Academy builds upon skills and concepts learned the day or week before.

Students had the opportunity to visit WestCom Communications Center at WDM Station 19. The tour allowed them to better understand PSAP systems, apparatus MDCs, and the job of a 911 dispatcher.

Continuing with engine operations, students were introduced to ropes and knots, small engine equipment such as chain and rotary saws, and ground ladders.

Students work along side a cadre of instructors learning over 115 skills during the 11 week academy.

The inaugural class of Emergency Medicine residents from UnityPoint Health-Des Moines participated in a hands-on “Doc Ops Day” training event on Wednesday July 10th. The training was hosted by the DMACC Fire Technology, EMT and Paramedic Programs. The three-year program is designed to help residents heighten their skills of triage and quick decision-marking, with an emphasis on the areas of critical care, EMS, and rural medicine.

During the training, the residents participated in a variety of exercises designed to help them better understand the role of first responders, including auto extrication, a forcible entry door simulation, an obstacle course while dressed in full PPE, search, fire streams, hose management, and a LifeFlight helicopter extrication/handoff simulation.

DMACC Fire Technology students spend countless hours working on pulling lines, advancing lines, and hose stream mechanics in our Firefighter I Academy. The principles of air entrainment and water mapping are fundamentals of suppression operations. FSRI’s Hose Stream Prop is an innovative and interactive training tool that visually demonstrates the impact of air entrainment and water mapping principles during suppression operations on the fireground.

DMACC Fire Technology students enrolled in the summer Firefighter I Academy have been hard at work since mid May. Over the next three days we will be posting images of the students as they work along our cadre of instructors who are all area firefighters learning all the skills needed to take the State of Iowa Firefighter I exam at the end of the term.

Its been a busy couple of weeks for the DMACC Fire Technology students. Written and practical finals and preparing for the summer Firefighter I Academy. We would like to thank Chief Whitsell with the West Des Moines Fire Department and the crews out at the Des Moines Airport Fire Department for allowing our students to participate is some great site visits. The ability to learn from subject matter experts about the systems and equipment that firefighters come across out in the field in invaluable. We can't thank them enough for supporting our program and creating a great learning environment.

Students enrolled in Fire Protection Systems and Hydraulics and Water Supply have been working hard out in the field. In Hydraulics, students are working on determining engine pressures based on deployed lines in service. They must determine different nozzle pressures and calculate friction loss based on hose diameter and length to get the proper pressures to the firefighters on the nozzle. Pressure gauges both at the panel and nozzle help with the learning environment.
A big thanks to Fire Marshal Lund(DMFD), Fire Marshal VerHuel and Inspector Hood(AFD) for hosting our classes out in the field. Students had the opportunity to learn about building fire pumps, wet and dry sprinkler systems, and the different standpipes that firefighters would encounter in highrise structures.

If you are interested in a career in Fire or EMS, please join us for the 3rd Annual Fire and EMS Career Fair on Wednesday March 20th from 12-4 @ Des Moines Area Community College in the Building 5 Conference room. Learn how you can earn your EMT, Firefighter I, and Paramedic certifications while attending DMACC. Meet representatives from Fire and EMS agencies from around the state who are hiring.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Continuing our look of our 50th Anniversary and the history of the American Fire Service, have you ever wondered why you see bagpipers and drums at parades and fire department funerals?
In the 1840’s close to 2 million immigrants from Ireland made their way to America following the Great Potato Famine. For many, the only work they could find were jobs that no one else wanted – jobs that were the most dangerous, dirty, or both, like working in mines or service work like in fire and police departments.
Bagpipes are an important part of Irish culture and are in Irish weddings, funerals, and ceilis(dances). Working as a firefighter in the 1800’s was especially dangerous, and it wasn’t uncommon to lose several members of a department at one incident. The sounds of the pipes quickly became associated in this country with fire department member funerals. Soon, families and friends of non-Irish firefighters began asking for the bagpipes to be played for fallen firefighters. The pipes added a special air of dignity to the sad occasion.
Because of the rich Irish history in these jobs, almost every fire and police department maintain aspects of Irish culture and traditions. Hundreds of departments across the county have organized honor guards, pipes and drums corps, or are members of local Emerald Societies. Today, many Emerald Societies have both Firefighters and Police Officers in the same chapter. Emerald Societies are in most major American cities. There are even Chapters in London, England and the Country of Malta. Today, the tradition is universal and not just for the Irish or Scottish. The pipers have come to be a distinguishing feature of a fallen hero’s funeral.

If you are interested in learning more about job opportunities with Fire and EMS departments, please join us next week for the 3rd Annual Fire and EMS Career Fair. Meet representatives from over 45 agencies from around the state discussing career opportunities within their organizations. The career fair is open to the public and there is no cost to participate.

DMACC Fire Technology would like to wish Mike Cherry a happy 80th birthday! Mike served as the Fire Science Program Chair from December 2000 until December of 2012. He began his career in the fire service in 1966, joining the Ankeny Fire Department as a volunteer. He became a full-time member of the department in 1972.

The DMACC Fire Science program started in 1974. Mike was one of the first twenty students enrolled in the first Fire Science course. Thirteen in the original class were members of fire departments in Des Moines, Ames, Marshalltown, and Ankeny. Most of the courses were taught by four staff members of the Fire Service Institute at Iowa State, Keith Royer, Bill Nelson, Roger Sweet, and Bill Simpson.

With three Fire Science courses offered per year, it took four years for a student to complete those courses plus additional time to complete the liberal arts requirements. In 1978, DMACC awarded associate degrees in Fire Science Technology to the first two graduates of the program. This was the first Fire Science Technology degree in the state of Iowa. Mike was one of those students. Mike was Ankeny's first full time Fire Captain, and then promoted to Ankeny's first full time Assistant Fire Chief.

Due to budget constraints and staff workloads FSI-ISU eventually turned the teaching duties over to DMACC in the mid-1980s. After DMACC took over the complete program, it hired adjuncts to teach the Fire Science courses. Mike Cherry served as program chair until his retirement in 2012.

The Fire Science Technology Program will celebrate its 50th year at DMACC in 2024. Special thanks to Mike Cherry and the DMACC Pioneers for collecting this important history of our program.

2024 marks the 50th Anniversary of the DMACC Fire Science Program. To commemorate this important year, we will be highlighting important members of our program along with significant events in the American Fire Service.

In the late 1960s, President Richard M. Nixon authorized the formation of The Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. The 90th Congress then passed the “Fire Research and Safety Act” and authorized funding to conduct the study. On May 4, 1973, Chairman Bland issued the Commission's report to the President. The title of the report was “America Burning.” The report identified the national fire problem and offered recommendations to address areas of concern. The report was very comprehensive and addressed the cost of fire in the United States in terms of loss of life, injuries, and loss to property. It identified for the first time that fire was a major national problem.

The report outlined recommendations for the Fire Service in terms of personnel training and education, equipping fire fighters, planning for fire protection and the need for a National Fire Academy. There were many additional areas studied and recommendations made, but regarding the education of fire personnel, the report started in motion a joint effort between Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and The Fire Service Institute at Iowa State University (FSI-ISU).

Keith Royer was the Director of the Fire Safety Institute at ISU. In his early years at ISU, he did major fire behavior investigation and research with Bill Nelson (a friend and colleague of 28 years) that resulted in the Iowa Rate of Flow Formula. After this research, he was established as a national leader in the fire protection and education field. He served in advisory positions under both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. Royer approached DMACC with the concept of a Fire Science Degree Program in 1973. He helped establish and teach the DMACC Fire Science program in 1974.

Royer also helped found the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) and the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors. He was a major supporter of certification for firefighter training on the state and national levels. He helped establish the National Professional Qualification System and the National Fire Academy (NFA). He served leadership roles in many national organizations including the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Fire Protection Association.

Students enrolled in the Hydraulics & Water Supply course took advantage of the unusual winter weather and practiced hydrant operations and worked on hose loads outside this week.
Thanks to the Iowa Fire Service Training Bureau for supporting our program and allowing our students to train on the mobile fire pump simulators. Students were able to practice engaging fire pumps, charge attack lines and set their pressures, obtain a water supply, and set pressure relief valves in our lab.

Students enrolled in FIR 145 Tactics and Strategy continued their LODD presentations and associated training evolutions. Students discussed and participated in the Bowen Drill.
On July 28, 2011 Captain Jeff Bowen died and nine fire fighters were injured while conducting fire ground operations in a six story medical building. Due to extreme conditions, firefighters quickly found themselves low on air, in zero visibility, and without enough water pressure to fight the fire.
In blacked out conditions students had to search for a down firefighter in a maze like structure. Students worked on search, communication, and air management. Once the downed firefighter was found, they had to drag them to the stairwell.

Students in FIR 145 Tactics and Strategy continued their LODD presentations and associated training evolutions. Students presented on the incident that took the life of Engineer Mark Langvardt of the Denver Fire Department on September 28th 1992.

Engineer Langvardt became separated from his crew on the second floor of a printing office. He was low on air and was unable to self-rescue after a floor collapse left him trapped in a 6’ x 11’ storage room with only 28-inch wide hallway. There was only room for one rescuer to attempt lifting the victim to the windowsill and this, after multiple efforts, proved impossible. Firefighters recovered Langvardt nearly an hour later after breaching a wall to remove him, but the rescue came too late to save Langvardt’s life.

The Denver Drill was designed in response to this tragedy. Rescue crews must enter through a 20-inch x 28-inch window that is on the second floor. Using only two entry rescuers they must quickly package an unconscious firefighter in that 28-inch x 8-foot “hallway” and lift them out of the window that is 42 inches off the floor. Crews on the outside assist with removing the victim. The goal is to find and remove the victim in under 2 minutes.

DMACC Fire Technology would like to thank DMU, Fire Marshal Mike Whitsell, and Inspector Westhoff for taking the FIR 160 Fire Inspector class to tour the new DMU campus. FIR 160 is designed to provide a basic understanding of fire prevention and fire inspection efforts. Students have visited multiple sites to develop a basic understanding of fire prevention; administration of codes and standards; impact of fire behavior on buildings; building construction; fire detection and protection systems; identification of hazards; and field inspections. Chief Whitsell, the adjunct professor for the course, dovetails amazing field opportunities with dynamic course work.

Students enrolled in FIR 145 Tactics and Strategy are starting their LODD presentations and associated training evolutions based on that event. Today, students presented on the Bricelyn Street Fire where three Pittsburgh firefighters lost their lives in a house fire in 1995. Students must research the event, present the details of the incident, and then perform the drill to the class. The drill associated with this event is the Pittsburgh Drill.
The objective: navigate obstacles, find a downed firefighter low on air, mitigate the air emergency, and remove them out of the environment back through those obstacles.

DMACC Fire Technology hosted a Wildand Field Training Day with the Iowa DNR Fire Management Program. 7 DMACC Fire Technology students along with others from around the state completed their National Wildfire Coordinating Group Firefighter II course work. The students completed 40 hours of course work and then participated in a 8-hour field day. If the students complete a pack test in the spring, they would be able to apply to the Iowa DNR and be deployed to wildfires next fire season.

DMACC Fire Technology would like to thank Shawn Mullen, President and Chief Energy Officer of Protex Central, a leader in Fire and Life Safety Protection Systems. Mr. Mullen discussed the state of the art fire protection systems that are being installed at facilities throughout the Des Moines metro area. Students learned how new codes and standards influenced the components of these unique systems. Mr. Mullen even demonstrated some of the specialized technologies such as hybrid and aerosol systems protecting buildings and their occupants.

Another great week in the Fire Technology Program. The FIR 101 students who started working on their Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations Certification visited DMFD Station 1 to learn about the roles of the regional Hazardous Materials Teams based out of DMFD. Lt. Stoner and Capt. Suarez in Special Operations discussed the specialized technology and equipment used on Hazardous Materials incidents.
On Thursday the FIR 127 Fire Behavior and Combustion course had the opportunity to learn about fire research and firefighting operations with Phil Gilman who is a Lab Technician with the Fire Safety Research Institute and Technical Rescue Firefighter with the Omaha Fire Department.

DMACC Fire Technology would like to thank Vice President for Academic Affairs MD Isley, Dean Jeanie McCarville-Kerber, Advisory Committee Members, Fire and EMS faculty and staff, the Mackenzie Highlanders Pipes and Drums of Iowa, and our current and returning students for formally opening our new fire training facility.

The new facility is now on the "corner" of Denson Drive and Royer Way. The intersection acknowledges DMACC President Rob Denson for his support of our program and Keith Royer, a prominent figure in the national fire service. Royer approached DMACC with the concept of a Fire Science Degree Program in 1973.

Royer was the Director of the Fire Safety Institute at ISU. In his early years at ISU, he did major fire behavior investigation and research with Bill Nelson (a friend and colleague of 28 years) that resulted in the Iowa Rate of Flow Formula. The formula is still taught today in our firefighter training.

After this research, he was established as a national leader in the fire protection and education field. He served in advisory positions under both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. He helped establish and teach the DMACC Fire Science program in 1974.

Royer also helped found the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors. He was a major supporter of certification for firefighter training on the state and national levels. He helped establish the National Professional Qualification System and the national Fire Academy. He served leadership roles in many national organizations including the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the National Fire Protection Association.

From 2017-2021, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 3,379 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and other related properties. These fires caused annual averages of 2 civilian deaths, 23 civilian injuries and $12 million in direct property damage.
February, September, and October were the peak months for fires in dormitory-type properties.

The Tuesday FIR 101 class spent the afternoon with Chief VanderLeest touring the Iowa Culinary Institute Ankeny campus. The students are learning about Fire Detection, Alarm, and Suppression Systems. Students were walked around the facility first looking at the different types of alarm and notification systems. They then talked about the sprinkler system control valves, suppressions systems, commercial kitchen systems, and how fire ground operations support these systems.

Approximately three out of four fires in college dorms began in the kitchen or cooking area. Cooking equipment was involved in nearly 9 out of 10 fires. Unattended equipment was the most common factor contributing to the ignition of these fires.

DMACC Fire Technology is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 100 years — to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.”

The campaign works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around them safe.

According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.