Course in Fire Management in Historic Collections
Online 300-hour course in fire management in historic collections. 6 modules covering NFPA 909 (protection of cultural resources: museums and libraries), Royal Decree 513/2017 (Regulation on fire protection installations) and FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Fire Management in Historic Collections — studying from New Zealand
Vehicle restoration and classic engine work in New Zealand is supported by an active enthusiast community and a well-established network of specialist workshops, particularly around the main centres. Historic vehicle registration and compliance fall under the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, and the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand promotes preservation of historic vehicles. Restoration professionals often combine fabrication, engineering and heritage conservation skills.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,580 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Is restoration engineering recognised by a professional body in New Zealand?
There is no specific statutory register for classic vehicle or heritage restoration engineers in New Zealand. Heritage matters can involve Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, and vehicle roadworthiness is governed by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their value depends on the employer or client.
Where do classic restoration specialists work in New Zealand?
Work is found in independent restoration workshops, classic car dealers, museums, and specialist fabrication businesses, many clustered around the main centres. Clients and employers usually judge by workmanship and a portfolio of completed restorations. A private qualification may complement that evidence but is rarely a deciding factor on its own.
Can I study this while running or working in a workshop here?
Yes. The course is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in New Zealand without a student visa. Specialist courses total 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. An assigned technical tutor supports you, and fees can be paid in instalments.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain fire behaviour in spaces containing vehicles, fuels and organic materials.
Identify and control the ignition sources specific to a vehicle collection.
Design compartmentation measures and an evacuation plan for priority assets.
Select detection and alarm systems suited to the risk and the space.
Evaluate extinguishing agents according to their effectiveness and their effect on the assets.
Organise the emergency response and post-incident recovery.
Develop a fire protection plan for a specific collection.
Who it's for
- Fire protection technician in heritage who wants to specialise in Fire Management in Historic Collections.
- Museum safety manager who wants to specialise in Fire Management in Historic Collections.
- Curator of vehicle collections who wants to specialise in Fire Management in Historic Collections.
- Self-protection plan consultant who wants to specialise in Fire Management in Historic Collections.
- Collections risk manager who wants to specialise in Fire Management in Historic Collections.
- Emergency coordinator who wants to specialise in Fire Management in Historic Collections.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter museums and collections.
What you'll work with
- NFPA 909 (protection of cultural resources: museums and libraries)
- Royal Decree 513/2017 (Regulation on fire protection installations)
- Technical Building Code, DB-SI (fire safety)
- Royal Decree 393/2007 (Basic Self-Protection Standard)
- UNE-EN 15004-1 (gaseous extinguishing systems)
- UNE-EN 12845 (automatic sprinkler systems)
- NFPA 750 (water mist systems)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What is at stake: irreversible loss1.2Known cases and their lessons1.3The fire triangle applied to the store1.4Fire load of a vehicle1.5Fire protection regulations1.6Owner's responsibility1.7Insurance and insurer requirements1.8Self-protection plan1.9Coordination with emergency services1.10Workshop: protection diagnosis of a facility
2.1Electrical installation and its inspection2.2Connected batteries and maintenance trickle chargers2.3Fuel leaks and vapours2.4Hot work and permits2.5Charging lithium batteries2.6Air-conditioning and heating equipment2.7Smoking and public activities2.8Deliberate fire-setting2.9Recently parked vehicles and residual heat2.10Practice: inventory of ignition sources
3.1Sectorising the hall3.2Fire doors and closures3.3Separation between vehicles3.4Aisles and access for evacuating vehicles3.5Operational vehicles and their priority3.6Keys and their availability3.7Asset evacuation plan3.8Salvage order and its criteria3.9Vehicle evacuation drills3.10Practice: evacuation plan for a collection
4.1Smoke and heat detectors4.2Aspiration detection4.3Detection in large-volume spaces4.4Control panel and its supervision4.5Alarm transmission to a receiving centre4.6False alarms and how to reduce them4.7Emergency power supply4.8Maintenance of the installation4.9Test records4.10Practice: design of a detection system
5.1Suitable portable extinguishers5.2Hose reels and their reach5.3Sprinklers and water damage5.4Gaseous agents and their suitability5.5Water mist5.6Foam and its effect on vehicles5.7Extinguishing lithium batteries5.8The trade-off between extinguishing and conservation5.9Maintenance of systems5.10Practice: reasoned selection of an extinguishing system
6.1Emergency team and its training6.2Written procedures and their dissemination6.3Disaster-proof documentation and inventory6.4Archive copies kept off-site6.5Immediate action after a fire6.6Emergency conservation of damaged pieces6.7Loss assessment and insurance claims6.8Lessons learned and plan review6.9Common mistakes in collections6.10Final project: fire protection plan for a collection
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM Institute campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator), PyroSim, Pathfinder, AutoCAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assignments are based on real procedures for analysing fire scenarios in a collection hall, asset evacuation drills, and review of detection and extinguishing installations. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain fire behaviour in spaces containing vehicles, fuels and organic materials.
Identify and control the ignition sources specific to a vehicle collection.
Design compartmentation measures and an evacuation plan for priority assets.
Select detection and alarm systems suited to the risk and the space.
Evaluate extinguishing agents according to their effectiveness and their effect on the assets.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator), PyroSim, Pathfinder and AutoCAD. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a Course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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