Command the Chaos

ASP711 – 16.00 Hours

Currently there are no scheduled classes for this course. However, in some cases a course can be scheduled to meet your organization’s specific needs. For more information about this course or to schedule a class, please contact Emergency Services Training Institute at (979) 845-7641 or [email protected] to get the latest schedule.

Course Description

As a volunteer fire officer, what you do in the first 15 minutes of an incident dictates the next two hours. On a rural fireground, you do not have the luxury of endless manpower or reliable hydrants. You must make split-second strategic choices based strictly on the headcount you have on scene, not a textbook standard. This course strips away abstract, municipal theories and delivers an intense, highly practical command track built specifically for the Texas rural and volunteer service.

Designed for current and aspiring VFD Chiefs, Captains, and Lieutenants, this course transitions you from a classroom student on Day 1 to an active field commander running live-fire evolutions on Day 2. Bring your structural PPE.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Completion Requirements

Participants must provide information for all required fields, including their U.S. citizenship/permanent resident information, in addition to meeting all other attendance and course completion requirements. If this information is not provided, the participant will be considered incomplete and will not receive a certificate of completion.

In order to receive the TEEX Certificate of Completion, the participant must:

  • attend 80 percent of the course;
  • meet all attendance requirements; and
  • participate in the class discussions and practical application activities.

Participants may be required to complete the end-of-course evaluation.

Attendance Requirements

Class attendance is an essential part of the education process and participants in TEEX courses are expected to attend all class sessions and field exercises. This course requires participants to attend a minimum of 80% of the class hours as a component of successful course completion. During the course, your instructor will review any additional attendance requirements, for example a field exercise that cannot be missed

Upon successful completion, you will be able to:

  • standardize the first-arriving officer’s initial size-up, radio reports, and strategic decision-making process to optimize limited rural resources and enhance crew safety.
  • transform initial fireground chaos into an organized, structured incident.
  • build field muscle memory to execute rapid, accurate 360-degree assessments and deliver standard 8-element Initial Radio Reports.
  • make split-second tactical choices based strictly on real-time on-scene headcount and water tank limitations.
  • utilize simple, budget-friendly passport/tag tracking systems.
  • eliminate freelancing and radio channel congestion under live operational pressure.

Suggested Audience

Current and aspiring Volunteer Chiefs, Captains, and Lieutenants who want an aggressive, field-heavy command course with immediate, practical field utility.

Continuing Education And Professional Credits

  • State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas (SFFMA)
  • Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP)

Other Information

Registration Process

Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service in cooperation with the Texas A&M Forest Service, has aligned the payment process for annual schools with all other requests for tuition assistance under the House Bill 2604 program and TIFMAS training grants. A Texas A&M Forest Service voucher number or a request ID # is no longer a valid Purchase Order number. It will be denied if used as a form of payment.

The process will follow this pattern: Registration with payment – Apply for tuition assistance & obtain TAMFS approval – Attend training – Complete the reimbursement process.

Registration with payment

Complete online registration on the TEEX website. Secure your seat in the class with payment.

You may use a credit card or organization purchase order (PO). 

If you are using a purchase order, TEEX policy requires the PO to be submitted within 48 hours of registration, or the enrollment may be canceled. You may upload the PO through your student portal or email it as an attachment to [email protected]. 

Ensure your PO includes the following:

  • Agency or company name
  • Billing address
  • Contact name and phone number
  • Description of goods and/or services provided (for example, the course number and name)
  • Amount of charges
  • Authorized signature
  • Taxpayer ID, EIN, or FEIN. The field should be in the following format: xx-xxxxxxx.

The PO contact email needs to be either yourself or a responsible person within your organization.

If your organization is not an established TEEX customer, or if you are not sure, please include a completed W-9 with the PO.

Apply for tuition assistance & obtain approval

At least one day before the first day of class, submit a request through TAMFS FireConnect.

Helpful videos about the FireConnect process can be found here. 

Attend training

Most courses have online registration notes and/or confirmation emails which will provide more details on when & where to report for class. Please pay special attention to the required PPE levels and prerequisites if applicable. Most TEEX courses require at least 80% attendance and participation, while others, such as ProBoard, require 100% attendance.

No-shows without prior written cancellation by the required date will be invoiced.

Upon successful completion of the class, you will be able to download your certificate from your TEEX Student Portal.

Complete the reimbursement process

Return to the FireConnect page and submit for reimbursement. You will be asked to upload documentation, including your certificate of completion. Once all documentation is accounted for, the request(s) will be marked as Approved for Payment, and reimbursement will be issued to your department.