Introduction to Fire Protection

2230:100-001 & 2230:100-080

Dennis Ragins
Assistant Professor of Practice
Fire Protection Technology
Office: Polsky Building 316
Phone: 330-972-2051
Fax: 330-972-5476
Email: dragins@uakron.edu

Course Objectives

  • Be able to identify the federal and state laws and regulations governing fire protection and fire service
  • Understanding of the fire hazards of materials, building design concepts, and the need for fire safety awareness and fire department pre-fire planning
  • Be able to identify basic portable fire extinguisher components and understand the NFPA Standard 10 (Installation of Portable Extinguishers) hazard identification and location requirements.
  • Understand the chemistry of fire and the theories of extinguishment
  • Student will be exposed ot several career tracks and occupations that are open to Fire Protection majors
  • Students will be exposed to state and national professional organizations associated with the field of Fire Protection

Course Projects

* Each student will write and present a professional paper (10 pages) on the fire protection area they choose


Class Protocol

* NO hats will be worn in class. This is a professional degree program, and this image will be important to your future success!!

* Pagers/ or cell phones are to be placed in silent notification mode to avoid class interruptions.

Attendance

* Be in class unless excused or if you have a well documented emergency

* If you miss an exam it is your responsibility to make it up by 5:00 p.m. of the next scheduled class day. After that time lapse, test make up is not permitted!

Course Outline

* Week 1: Intro and Internet/computer research - "A day in the life of a firefighter"

* Week 2: The nation's fire problem

* Week 3: Chemistry and Physics of Fire Extinguishers

* Week 4: Explosions-Detonations-Deflagrations

* Week 5: Smoking and Matches QUIZ

* Week 6: Combustible solids

* Week 7: Furniture and mattresses

* Week 8: Hot careers in fire protection, public and private employment

* Week 9: Flammable Liquids

* Week 10: Flammable and toxic gases QUIZ

* Week 11: Plastics

* Week 12: Presentations

* Week 13: Electrical hazards and Presentations

* Week 14: Heating Appliances and Presentations

* Week 15: Socioeconomic aspects of fire loss

Course Design

* This is a technical research based course

* Students will do five half page article summaries on subjects covered in this course (counts as one test grade)

Grading
A 97-100
A- 94-96
B+ 90-93
B 86-89
B- 82-85
C+ 78-81
C 75-77
C- 72-75
D 70-73
D- 69

There will be three tests (20% each), one course project (20%) and five article reviews (20% total) figured into your grade.

Special Notice

Students whose names do not appear on the university's official class list will not be permitted to participate in the class.

Please review the Summit College site for withdrawals, refunds and graduation application dates.


"THE FIRE SCHOOL OF THE MIDWEST"