Training

Yuba City Fire Department Training is determined by federal and state requirements. The Yuba City Fire Department meets those requirements as well as many local training needs. The Yuba City Fire Department members train daily on such items as firefighting practices, rescues, emergency medical aids and disaster preparedness. Yuba City firefighters also participate in many other off-duty specialized training courses which include water rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, and confined space rescue training. Training never stops for members of the Yuba City Fire Department; in any given year each member of the Department is required to complete a training minimum of 240 hours per year. Often times Yuba City Fire Department members will far exceed that requirement.

New firefighters will especially far exceed that 240 hours per year of mandatory training; much of that is due to the many training requirements they are challenged with when they first are hired. These firefighters have firefighting training manuals which contain many state and local requirements that they must complete before they can move on to the next level in their career. The first manual alone has over 348 hours of basic firefighting training they must complete and then successfully pass a written and manipulative test to be able to receive the next manual.

Many of the Department’s firefighters belong to what we call “specialized teams.” This is due to the fact that the fire service has become one, so complicated, and two, because we are an “all risk” department. Specialized teams are necessary to keep personnel trained at high levels of proficiency in their field so we can meet the needs of the customers we serve. Specialized teams are groups of individuals who have chosen to concentrate on specific disciplines within the fire service. Some of the specialized teams in the Yuba City Fire Department include a Hazardous Material Team, an Advanced Technical Rescue Team (ATR) and a Tactical Emergency Medical Service Team (TEMS).

The Hazardous Material Team trains on all types of chemicals and chemical releases and also tries to focus on chemicals that are more specific to our area. These items could be petroleum product spills or how to deal with pesticides and herbicides from agricultural. Hazardous Materials team members are trained on dealing with chemicals whether they be a solid, liquid or gas. Other kinds of chemical leaks are ammonia, chlorine and even radioactive materials. A hazardous materials team member’s initial training consists of six weeks (over 240 hours) of instruction and an additional 24 hours is required each year to maintain their team status. This is in addition to their normal 240 hours of fire fighting training they receive annually.

The ATR Team trains on many different disciplines as well. They train on swift water rescue, trench rescue, building collapse rescue, confined space rescue and rope rescue. They are also required to participate in a minimum of 24 hours of refresher training annually. The swift water rescue training is especially important. The Yuba City Fire Department regularly responds to river rescue calls on the Feather River. The Swift Water Rescue Team has also responded to the surrounding area during times of flood emergencies.

The TEMS team assists the police department’s SWAT team and provides medical support. The TEMS team regularly trains with the Metro Swat team so they know their tactics and how to position themselves during certain situations. The TEMS members regularly train with the SWAT team’s equipment and procedures. They are required to train a minimum of 12 hours per year.

Yuba City Fire Department members also participate in state and federal training all over the country. These classes consist of specialized prevention training, management and leadership training, specialized wildland/structural fire fighting techniques and arson investigation. All of our supervisors (Fire Captain’s) and managers (Chief Officers) have been certified by the State of California as “Fire Officers,” and “Chief Officers.” In addition, many have received certification through the National Fire Academy in Maryland.

We do not limit training to just our personnel. We know the value of training for other “City Employees,” and you the customer. The Department continues to serve as the regional American Heart Association CPR Training Center. The Center provides Yuba City employees and the community comprehensive CPR and life-saving skills training. Yuba City firefighters also provide continuing education for Emergency Medical Technician certification. The Department provided CPR/First Aid training to approximately 439 people who work for local organizations such as Yuba City Unified School District’s bus drivers, local doctor/dentist office staff and other health care professionals, day care providers and teachers.