About Blue Card The Blue Card Command Certification Program is a state of the art training and certification system that teaches Company and Command Officers how to standardize local incident operations across their organization. The program uses a combination of online and in-class simulation training which results in an Incident Commander solution that finally addresses local Hazard Zone operations. The training is based entirely on retired Fire Chief Alan Brunacini’s Fire Command and Command Safety Textbooks which have been used globally in the Fire Service for over 30 years. The Blue Card Incident Commander Training and Certification Program are designed to manage local, NIMS Type 4 and 5 incidents. These 2 Incident Types account for more than 99 percent of a department’s incident activity. Until the advent of Blue Card, there has not been a curriculum or standard for an Incident Commander to manage a local, Type 4 and 5 Hazard Zone. Learn More

Training Overview 3 Tiered Training Program That Works!!! Tier #1 – Online Training Program 50 hours of Instruction on the 8 Functions of Command from the authors of the program gives all students the same consistent cognitive message. Tier #2 – Simulation Based Evaluation Lab Each student must be evaluated in a 3 day simulation lab using state of the art, high fidelity simulations in order to become a Certified IC. The sim lab is where the program is customized to your individual department. Tier #3 – Instructor Training Program A major objective of the Blue Card training program is for individual departments or regions to quickly manage the certification and evaluation program themselves, while customizing the system to the local topography, resource levels, and SOPs.

Testimonials "Blue Card is not just an IC training and certification program. Blue Card is an Operations program that finally gave my department the tools to effectively train, evaluate and actually manage our departments’ front seat officers".  Indiana   "I could not wait to tell you that I was just the IC on my first structure fire since completing the course. I implemented the 8 functions of command and cannot believe how well the call went in comparison to past incidents." New Jersey   "The video instruction was a big help from a tutorial standpoint and provides interesting points to consider regarding what to do. The radio traffic exercises were a good template for how it should sound and made it easy to assemble my thoughts for radio communication." Georgia   "Just completed the course, very impressive.  Although fire based, is totally adaptable to EMS, ESPECIALLY to the supervision side.  Fits in with NIMS, all ICS is strengthened…. I'm totally impressed and endorse this strongly. I found myself dealing with an incident late last week and 1/2 way thru it realized I was already using the teachings and applying all of this material to that event.  I thank you for the opportunity…  Totally appreciative!" Canada

Command Training & Certification Program
For: Managing NIMS Type 4 & 5 - Local Emergency Incidents

• Program Overview
• Program based on Fire Command 2nd Edition
• The Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard
• Course Qualifications/Prerequisites
• Online Training Program Overview
• Blue Card Training Material
• Hazardous Materials Continuing Education
• 3 day Simulation Certification Lab
• Train the Trainer Program
• Instructor Benefits
• Building your own Command Training Center (CTC)
• Pricing and other info

Program Overview 

The Incident Command Certification Program is designed to first instruct, train and then evaluate and certify Fire Dept. Officer’s who serve in the role of Incident Commander that supervises and manage emergency and hazard zone operations for everyday, local NIMS Type 4 and Type 5 events.

The "Blue Card" training program provides Fire Departments with a training and certification system that defines the best Standard Command Practices for common, local, everyday Strategic and Tactical emergency operations conducted on NIMS Type 4 & Type 5 events. This training and certification program produces Incident Commanders that make better decisions that will potentially eliminate the lethal and/or costly mistakes that cause injury, death, and unnecessary fire losses in the local response area.

Program based on Fire Command 2nd Edition 

Fire Command

The entire Blue Card IC Training and Certification Program is based on the Textbook "Fire Command" written by Alan Brunacini. The 1st edition of Fire Command was released in 1985. It was updated with the 2nd edition in 20001. The 2nd edition curriculum package included a 9 part DVD series, an Instructor’s Guide, a student workbook and the companion textbook Command Safety. Fire Command is recognized as one of the definitive works on local incident command across the globe.

The Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard 


The Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard was finalized in 2009 and was adopted by the IFSAC (International Fire Service Accreditation Congress) Alternative Standards Council. The state of Minnesota was accredited by IFSAC to certify their IC’s using the Type 4 & 5 IC Standard.

The Hazard Zone Incident Command Standard professional qualifications are a direct reflection of the IC’s checklist in the back of each of the Fire Command 2nd Edition© Command Function chapters. The IC’s checklist for each command function outlines the cognitive and manipulative skills the IC needs to posses to successfully manage/fulfill/complete/perform that individual command function. The IC checklist bullet points were broken out and covered in detail in the Command Safety© textbook. Command Safety© was also extensively used to author the on-line training program.

The Blue Card program is designed to produce safe and effective hazard zone operations. Because fire departments routinely operate at the scene of incidents with an IDLH atmosphere (immediately dangerous to life and health) it forces us to simultaneously manage incident command, strategy & tactics and firefighter safety.

The effect of the program is two-fold. First, it develops the personal skills in officers required to supervise and manage incident operations that occur in a hazard zone. The second and more powerful effect is the Blue Card program standardizes incident operations across the entire department. The Blue Card Program has standardized operations across different mutual aid boundaries, different battalions, shifts and stations of 100’s of fire departments across the country.

Course Qualifications/Prerequisites 

1. Must be a FF I & II
2. Minimum of 5 years of field experience, or
3. With the permission of the Instructor

There are 3 main components of the Blue Card Program. They are:

• The online program
• The 3-day certification lab
• The 3-day Train-the-Trainer program

Online Training Program Overview 

The Blue Card Online Program is a 50 hour course that teaches the cognitive portion of the Blue Card program. The online program is based on the Fire Command curriculum package. All of the online content has been developed in a manner to support, compliment and integrate with NIMS.

The online program marries the critical concepts of incident management, strategy & tactics and key firefighter safety requirements with high-fidelity structure fire simulations. This moves the material beyond the theory into the actual application of the work. Using the Internet to package and deliver the training provides a much more interactive experience for the student. Hot coaching via short video clips from subject matter experts reinforces and standardizes the material.


Online training offers many advantages. It is more affordable, the student can access it anywhere there is an Internet connection, it keeps units in service, it standardizes the cognitive delivery of the material and the students progresses at their own pace and completion is recorded and tracked within our record keeping system. Recent studies indicate that students learn and retain more with an online approach versus traditional educational methods.

The most recent 700 students to have completed the Blue Card online course rated it between good – excellent. It is important to note that these students were firefighters who had just completed 50-hours of online training and they still gave it a 3.4 out of 4.




What fire service professionals from around the globe are saying about the Blue Card online program:

"Just finished my online Blue Card and wanted to say thanks and congratulations for putting together the best IM training package I have ever seen. I undertook my own departments Company Officer training in 1996 and our Battalion Chief IM program back in 2003, both were crap....online Blue Card lifts things to a whole new level.... I look forward to any future updates you guys produce."

Access to All Blue Card Training Material 

Each On-Line subscriber will receive 1 full Year of access to All Blue Card Training Material

Each student will have 1 full year of access to their 9 Blue Card training modules once their On-line access has been activated.	1 new - 4 hour CE module is posted every 3 months to the training system. This gives the student or certified IC at least 16 hours of additional Continuing Education per 1 year subscription.
Each C.E. Module will focus on a specific building type or tactical problem. All C.E. modules are followed up with 5 command and control scenarios similar to ones performed in the on-line training modules	Students will also have continued E-Access to the Fire Command text book series: Fire Command, Command Safety and a downloadable PDF version of the Fire Command Workbook.

Hazardous Materials Continuing Education 

This C.E. module will look at how the Blue Card Local Incident Command System is used for commanding and controlling all local hazards. This module will break down the different organizational elements required when running a local Type 4 or 5 Haz Mat Incident. Just like the rest of the Blue Card C.E. modules, this module will be followed-up with 5 command and control scenarios. Each active Blue Card Instructor will receive the corresponding tactical level simulations that are included in all of the new C.E. modules added to the training site. These scenarios will represent some of the most common Haz Mat Incidents that the American fire service responds to on a daily basis. Here is a breakdown of what the module will include:   ·         1st Responder Haz Mat Command responsibilities ·         Haz Mat Size-Up ·         Haz Mat Command Organization ·         Hazard Zone SDG or Branch management ·         OSHA Entry Requirements 1.    Medical 2.    Decon 3.    Entry ·         Roles and responsibilities of other Haz Mat stake holders: DEQ, ADOT, DPS ·         Clean-Up   The 5 interactive scenarios that follow the module’s lesson plan will include:   ·         3 transportation accidents (small, medium and large) ·         Fixed Haz Mat facility ·         Meth lab house (same info will apply to most meth labs encountered)   *Note – This module will focus on the command and control required to mitigate these types of Incidents. It will not be a chemistry class or include instruction on the certification based, task level activities that are required for controlling these types of incidents (spill control, molecule identification, metering equipment, decon procedures, and so on).

3-day Certification Simulation Lab 

Once the student has successfully completed the Blue Card online training program, they will be eligible to participate in the evaluation/testing phase of the program.

The evaluation portion of the program incorporates:

• Standard 8 Functions of Command
• Regional Standard Operating Procedures
• Tactical Operations Templates for 5 local occupancy types
• High fidelity structure fire simulations

The online program uses a wide variety of structure fire simulations throughout each of the 9 modules. The Blue Card program uses 5 distinct building types for size up and incident action planning.

These building types include:



Search & rescue, fire control and property conservation are all done a little bit different based on the occupancy type. Search and rescue is going to be managed differently in a vacant building than it will be in a fully occupied apartment complex. One of the foundational elements of the Blue Card system is all tactical action is based on the actual incident conditions (or critical factors). This makes the size up and review and revision process major ongoing IC responsibilities.

The evaluation portion of the course merges the Hazard Zone Management - Incident Command Standard with the local; resources, SOP’s, tactical hazards, and the standard operational action required for conducting safe and effective locally based operations. The simulation based training provides the students with valuable hands on training and experience for high risk, low frequency events. Simulations are typically delivered at a Command Training Center (CTC). Each student must successfully serve as the Incident Commander’s (IC) in a fast attack position (mobile) and a strategic command position (inside a BC’s rig) for each of the 5 building types (a total of 10 times) to become certified.

The Hazard Zone Management – Incident Command Standard Certification Program requires that each student successfully pass evaluation on both command positions for each of the 5 different building types.

The Incident Command Certification will be valid for a 3 year period. At the end of the 3 year period, the Certificate holder will need to have enough continuing Strategic and Tactical training hours to re-certify, 12 hours per year (3 hours per quarter).

Using the same simulations for the sim lab that are also used throughout the online program builds familiarity for the students and leads to much smoother simulations. The ultimate goal of the program is to give the students the necessary tools to safely and effectively manage hazard zone operations. Central to this mission is the curriculum. One of the biggest pitfalls of simulation-based training is delivering it in the absence of a curriculum. Attempting to run a command training program without a curriculum turns the program into an opinion-based, Easter egg hunt.

No other training tool will expose operational shortcomings better than a well-run simulation lab. You can’t bullshit your way through a well-designed simulation lab.

The Blue Card program not only builds the personal skills of each student, it also serves as means to make improvements to the systems we use to manage the hazard zone (ICS), the strategy & tactics we employ and the systems we use to keep firefighters operating safely. On the surface these may appear to be separate systems but in application they all must connect, align and work together simultaneously. Used to its full advantage, the Blue Card program can serve as the system used to manage the Operations Division.

Multi Position – Tactical Simulation 

A multi-position simulation provides the most realistic training experience possible. Just like a real structure fire, a multi-position simulation has multiple positions that must be addressed simultaneously. The picture to left is the main view of the Alpha side of this large, 2-story apartment building. The pictures below provide views of the different critical positions that must covered. Each simulation has been designed to keep the sequence, timing and pacing of the simulation as realistic as possible.

The simulation lab is typically delivered over 3 days but can be customized to suit your department’s needs. To customize the Blue Card curriculum to match your department’s resources and staffing levels, response times and tactical approach requires sending member(s) through a Blue Card Train-the-Trainer program. This will enable your department to set up its own command training program.

Train-the-Trainer (T-t-T) Program 

The Trainer’s program is a 3-day program where each simulation is run to identify the key teaching and evaluation points along with covering all the instructor support materials. Each instructor also leaves with all the curriculum. This includes 12 multi-position simulations along with all the instructor support materials. The curriculum is packaged up and corresponds to the 5 buildings types. Here is the standard package that comes with each building type:



Each Trainer leaves with:

• Command Functions Review PowerPoint and instructors guide
• Communications Overview PowerPoint and instructors guide
• Residential Tactical Template PowerPoint and instructors guide
• Multi-Unit Residential Tactical Template PowerPoint and instructors guide
• Strip Mall Tactical Template PowerPoint and instructors guide
• Medium to Large Commercial Structure Tactical Template PowerPoint and instructors guide
• Big Box Tactical Template PowerPoint and instructors guide
• 2 Complete Residential Simulations with incident review PowerPoint's and instructors guide
• 2 Complete Multi-Unit Residential Sims with inc. review PowerPoint's and instructors guide
• 2 Complete Strip Mall Simulations with incident review PowerPoint's and instructors guide
• 2 Complete Commercial Simulations with incident review PowerPoint's and instructors guide
• 2 Complete Big Box Simulations with incident review PowerPoint's and instructors guide
• 8 DVD Fire Command Video Series
• 3 DVD Critical Factors Video Series
• 3 DVD Managing Mayday Video Series
• On-Deck, Recycle, 3 Deep DVD video
• Sector Operations DVD video

Instructor Benefits 

Blue Card Instructor Support What the Instructor Gets:

All Certified Blue Card Instructors will receive 1 full year of support from the date of their Instructor certification. This includes at least 1 - Multi-position tactical simulation uploaded every quarter. Each of the new simulations added to the Instructors package will fit into the 5 building types and will continue to build on previous Blue Card themes. Each Blue Card simulation also comes with a PowerPoint Sim Review and an Instructors Guide. The PowerPoint Sim reviews have been streamlined since the beginning of the Instructors program. Each sim review is now designed to guide the sim review discussion around the Strategic Decision Making model, while stressing the need to perform good communication skills around the 6 standard radio transmission types. The Instructors Guide that is included with each sim gives the Instructor an excellent overview of the simulation goals, the primary positions in the Sims, the conditions they will encounter, along with the sim Eval sheets and benchmarking already included in the Instructors guide. All of the programs Instructor material is loaded up into, and is ready to be downloaded out of the Instructors Download Center. This is an invaluable resource for the Instructors. It contains all of the Instructor support material, new material is constantly being added, while the older material is updated and re-posted as necessary. The download center can be accessed on any computer with an internet connection. This makes all Blue Card training material available to every Instructor 24/7/365, no matter where you are, you’ll have access to the training material.

Additional PowerPoint’s authored by the Brunacini’s are frequently added to the Instructors download center. In the last 6 months, 5 auxiliary Shows have been added to the downloaded center. This gives Instructors the materials to customize and make similar presentations to the members in your own department who would not otherwise get a chance to see these materials being presented. DRILL DOWN - Because the most important operational level on a hazard zone is the Task Level, Blue Card will devote a great deal of time and energy in presenting best practice, task level skill evolutions. Knowing the time it takes and the difficulties in carrying out the routine tasks that we perform on regular basis, directly correlates into an IC’s effectiveness when assigning units while forecasting fast moving events. Every issue of the Instructors Newsletter and BSHIFTER magazine will detail these standard evolutions with videos; SOP’s and company level evaluation sheets. Instructors Newsletter - Every month, all of the Blue Card Instructors will be emailed the monthly Blue Card Instructor’s Newsletter. The newsletter will detail all of the new material added to the system, along with any new enhancements or changes made to the training site. The newsletter will also feature the material in Drill Down that focuses on the task level skill sets that solve our hazard zone problems. The Blue Card training staff is 100% committed to sustaining and constantly improving the training and information we produce. The only way to do this is to connect with the Instructors who are actually delivering the program in their departments. The Semi-Annual Blue Card Instructors Meetings gives the Blue Card staff a chance to meet with our Instructors on a consistent basis, listen to their input on how to improve and enhance the program, as well as showcase the improvements and the new training materials that have been added to the system over the previous 6 months. These are great get together’s and they are free to all Blue Card instructors.

Building your own Command Training Center (CTC) 

We use the software program Fire Studio, produced by Digital Combustion, to build our simulations. You must have this software to use the simulations we provide. The software costs for equipping a sim lab and having the ability to author your own simulations costs around $1,000. Throw in 8 computers with the correct video cards (very important) and you can build your own sim lab for less than $15,000. This investment offers the greatest return on any monies spent as it relates to improved incident operations and enhanced firefighter safety.

The T-t-T class includes simulations designed around command van ops (command team) and mayday operations. The intent of the T-t-T class is to assist the students with customizing the curriculum to match their fire department. The true value of the Blue Card program is the ability to use the material for your own department.

The T-t-T program also includes an overview of the Blue Card training website (www.bshifter.com). Here is how the program works for a department with the ability to run simulations.

1. Identify the individuals in your department who will become the command trainers. These individuals should have a very strong operations background. Shift Commanders, Battalion Chiefs, Training Officers and Safety Officers are all well suited to this task.
2. Put these individuals through the Blue Card online program. After they successfully complete the online program they need to attend a 3-day sim/cert lab (We schedule a number of Trainers classes on the heels of cert labs. Check www.bshifter.com for all scheduled trainer events).
3. After you have your cadre of trainers you will need the ability to run multi-position simulation training. This can be as easy as obtaining 8 laptop computers, a projector and a having access to a couple of training rooms. It can also be as elaborate as having a dedicated command training center complete with vehicle props and dedicated tactical sages.
4. The instructors and the individuals responsible for managing the operations division should have a series of meetings to determine what (if any) changes need to be made to the curriculum before it is presented to the rest of the department.
5. All personnel who will be certified must go through the online program. This is one (the main one) of the license agreements for using the Blue Card Program.
6. After your members successfully complete the online program they are ready to go through your department’s sim lab. This can be done "academy" style, using a 3-day sim lab, or any other schedule that works for your department.

Instructors have access to their students through the admin interface. Information recorded includes how much of the online program they’ve completed and their score (pass/fail), how many CE modules they’ve competed along with their score (pass/fail) and electronic sim lab evaluation sheets. The sim lab eval sheets also have areas where the instructor can record comments.


Pricing and other info 

Blue Card online program $385.00
This price includes:

• The 3 Fire Command textbooks (Fire Command, Student Workbook & Command Safety). Each book is available via the web
• Four (4) additional 3-hour CE modules. The Blue Card command certification requires 12 hours of CE a year to maintain your certification. We provide the entire first year of CE as part of the initial Blue Card subscription. The price after the first year is $90 per certified IC.
• BShifter Hazard Zone Quarterly. This is a cutting edge Internet magazine. Follow this link to download and view the magazine. You have to see it to believe it. View Magazines

Blue Card Train-the-Trainer class $4000.00

• Each trainer receives the same package as listed above PLUS
• 4 multi-position simulations, plus all the associated instructor support materials. Each simulation matches the building types for that quarter’s CE package. This facilitates conducting quarterly command training with your department. Each simulation package requires between 60 – 120 hours of production time. This time estimate is based on an individual with advanced computer skills and experience in putting together simulation based training.
• Instructor program tools to schedule, enroll, track the progress of, train, and certify students who will be using your CTC to become Certified Blue Card Type 4 & 5 Incident Commander’s.
• Admin access for all of your students. We track, record and maintain these records.
• Access to the instructor download center. We routinely post up new content in this area of the website. All Blue Card curriculum is stored here. All you need is an Internet connection to access all the Blue Card content. This can be a life saver when you are on the road.
• The first year is included in the $4000 price. For each additional year it is $1750 for your first instructor and $500 for every other instructor.

We offer volume discounts. Visit us at www.bshifter.com or call us at
855-US-BLU-CARD.
(855-872-5822)