Course Overview

When active assailants strike, fire and law enforcement operate in the same operational space. Yet they train separately. Tactical Fire Company closes that gap. This 40-hour integrated course teaches fire personnel and law enforcement to operate as one unified unit, from command and coordination to tactical execution. Participants learn tactics and procedures neither discipline typically covers alone: fire teams learn advanced building tactics and tactical fire operations; law enforcement learns fire behavior, civil unrest dynamics, and how to incorporate fire personnel into critical operations.

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The Tactical Fire Company™ concept was developed to address a critical gap in public safety operations: incidents where fire service personnel possess the training, equipment, and capabilities to support law enforcement missions beyond traditional fire suppression and EMS functions.

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In 2013, the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department conducted a needs assessment to identify ways specially trained fire companies could support tactical law enforcement operations. The assessment found that law enforcement personnel were frequently tasked with responsibilities that fire departments were often better equipped, trained, and staffed to perform. These responsibilities included heavy breaching operations, rope systems for tactical rappelling, integration with law enforcement during civil unrest, responses to fire-as-a-weapon attacks, hostage and barricade incidents, and suicidal jumper events. Similar to the development of the tactical medic concept, the Tactical Fire Company™ concept was created to provide specialized fire service capabilities during high-risk incidents.

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Fire companies were selected based on their proximity to high-risk occupancies such as downtown high-rise districts, universities, and other critical infrastructure locations. A comprehensive 40-hour training program was developed and implemented, followed by a quarterly continuing education program designed to maintain proficiency and operational readiness.

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Since then, Charlotte's integrated units have responded to over 100 emergency operations per year, including major incidents that tested the concept in real operational conditions.

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Charlotte's Operational Track Record

• 2016 Civil Unrest Response

• 2019 UNCC Active Shooter Event

• 2020 George Floyd Riots: Zero structure fires (only top-20 largest U.S. city to achieve this outcome)

• 2024 Eritrea Civil Unrest Response

• 2024 U.S. Marshal's Service Ambush Response

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Participants have directly credited this training in providing operational guidance at seven active shooter events, two terror attacks, and multiple barricades with fire. These participants are from California, Michigan, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

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Operationally Tested and Proven

Since its implementation in 2015, the Tactical Fire Company™ program has been tested during multiple riots and civil unrest events, active assailant incidents, National Special Security Events, SWAT operations, and numerous other high-risk responses. Since its introduction, agencies that have hosted the Tactical Fire Company™ program have responded to multiple active assailant incidents, mass shootings, school shootings, terror attacks, and other high-risk events. Several agencies have provided written feedback indicating that concepts taught during the program were successfully applied during real-world incidents and contributed to operational effectiveness. Numerous fire departments throughout the United States and internationally have requested assistance in developing similar programs. Several agencies have implemented Tactical Fire Company concepts based directly on this model.

 

Both the Department of Homeland Security and the National Tactical Officers Association have praised this training. The NTOA called it, "The future of law enforcement and fire integration." The Department of Homeland Security credited this program during the 2020 George Floyd protests, citing that Charlotte was the only city in the top 20 largest cities in which a vehicle or building did not burn. 

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Train-the-Trainer Program

This course is taught by the original creators of the Tactical Fire Company™ concept. Participants receive instruction from the same 40-hour curriculum originally developed and implemented within the metropolitan fire department. The program includes approximately 16 hours of classroom instruction and 24 hours of practical training.

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In addition to operational concepts and practical skills, participants learn the challenges associated with implementing a Tactical Fire Company™ program, lessons learned from years of program management, current operational practices, and future program objectives. Agencies seeking to adopt the program may also elect to purchase the complete instructional package, which includes more than 1,000 PowerPoint slides, videos, photographs, and supporting instructional materials.

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What Makes This Program Different

This is not a Rescue Task Force course. The Tactical Fire Company™ concept teaches fire personnel to operate far beyond the traditional Rescue Task Force mission. Rather than focusing solely on casualty care and extraction, Tactical Fire Companies are trained to integrate with law enforcement during a wide variety of high-threat incidents where specialized fire service capabilities can significantly enhance operational effectiveness. The program focuses on how fire companies can safely and effectively support law enforcement operations while remaining within the scope of their training, capabilities, and mission.

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Operational Applications

The Tactical Fire Company™ program prepares fire personnel to operate during numerous high-risk and high-impact incidents. These include active assailant incidents, fire-as-a-weapon attacks, large-scale civil unrest events, explosive incidents, vehicle-as-a-weapon attacks, suicidal jumper responses, hostage and barricade situations, hot-zone breaching operations, and high-threat casualty extractions.

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The course also includes practical exercises involving law enforcement integration, casualty rescue operations, breaching concepts, and realistic scenario-based training. Participants may also observe or participate in joint exercises involving smoke and fire conditions, ballistic threats, and other operational challenges commonly encountered during high-risk incidents.

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Standards Alignment and Applicability

Tactical Fire Company aligns with NFPA 3000 (Standard on Active Assailant/Crisis Incident Response) and complements RTF (Rescue Task Force) training and deployment. The course directly addresses integrated response requirements outlined in NFPA 3000 Section 3.5.7, which emphasizes coordinated fire and law enforcement operations during complex incidents. This training is essential for agencies preparing for Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks (CCTA) and other multi-agency incidents requiring seamless fire-law enforcement integration. It is particularly valuable for agencies in high-risk urban environments where active assailant events, civil unrest, and structural fire risks intersect.

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Student Requirements

There is unlimited number of students for Day 1 and Day 2 lecture series. Day 3-5 practical training enrollment is limited to 50 students. Participants must be recognized instructors within their department and capable of returning to their agency to assist with program implementation and future training efforts. Because of the operational nature of the curriculum, this is a physically demanding and fast-paced course. Students must be prepared to participate in extensive practical exercises and scenario-based training. The course is intentionally taught to a blended audience of fire service and law enforcement personnel to promote interagency understanding and operational integration.​