Urban fire training builds investigator capability
A group of CFA fire investigators and investigators-in-training has recently completed urban fire training at Huntly VEMTC, delivered using a program developed in Western Australia (WA).
The Suppress Urban Fire course is included in the Fire Investigation training pathway.
While CFA’s own version of the course is being finalised, instructors have adopted a comparable program from the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services to ensure members can continue progressing in their fire investigation training.
Fire investigators benefit from structural and urban firefighting training as it deepens their understanding of how fires behave in built environments.
This knowledge directly enhances the accuracy, safety and credibility of their investigations. It also helps them recognise the impacts of firefighting operations, ensuring their conclusions reflect real-world fire behaviour.
The use of the WA training package aligns with the AFAC Training Review recommendation to encourage collaboration across agencies and integrate existing, high-quality training programs into CFA’s training pathways.
Members who complete the course are awarded the national unit of competency PUAFIR302 – Suppress Urban Fire.
Becoming a fire investigator
Visit Members Online for information on becoming a CFA Structural Fire Investigator and/or Bushfire Investigator, including:
- Fire Investigation course learning pathway
- Application process to become a Fire Investigator
- Fire Investigator trainees
Members interested in becoming a Fire Investigator should complete and submit the Expression of Interest (EoI) application form to their District Fire Investigation Coordinator.