Firefighter Training Doesn't Have Time for Rain Delays

Preparation is a key to a successful training outcome. From development, media review, scheduling, staffing, equipment procurement and performance standards, the course material has to be drafted and set into motion well before the actual event. But what happens when the day comes for the training and the elements outside are less than ideal? Members arrive and expect instruction to take place, whether it is a monthly department drill or annual topics for review. Either way, it is up to the training division to be prepared for when the weather keeps the learning opportunities indoors.

Fire stations have a few key attributes for successful training. Apparatus areas are usually vast in size and can have different elevations within the space for storage rooms and equipment areas. Large floor areas allow for enough room for all attendees to be able to perform the skills of the lesson, and comfort areas for rest and rehabilitation are usually directly off the training area. Furthermore, the lecture portion of the training can be completed in the training room and the students can move directly to the apparatus bay floor to practice what they had just learned.

So when the weather (rain, snow, cold, high winds, etc.) limits the training arena to the indoors, consider some quality hands-on training drills that can be completed within the walls of the station with a minimal amount of equipment.

Indoor training ideas

Photo 1: Adapters can be outfitted with pneumatic fittings to charge hoselines with air instead of water.

Hoseline advancement—Stretching the initial attack line into position is a critical skill for the first-arriving company. This involves efficiency and mobility to get the nozzle where it needs to be. Crews can be set into teams and are tasked with getting the nozzle into position within the least amount of time, without any kinks that would limit flow. Instead of flowing water through the hoseline, fittings can be adapted to allow the hoseline to be pressurized with air, filling the hose to the correct diameter when in place, and identifying kinks in the lines when they are laid out (see Photo 1). In this setting, hoses can be laid into position, “charged” when ready, and can be put back into the ready position quickly for the next crew to participate.Ladder placement—High ceilings in apparatus bay areas provide the perfect landscape for raising and climbing ladders. Wide floor areas allow for practice in carrying and raising ladders (see Photo 2). The skills for this can be incident specific; why is the ladder being placed into service? Is it to facilitate a rescue, flow a hoseline to an upper floor, or to clear a window for ventilation? Based upon the structures that are found within your response area, various types of raises can be utilized. One such skill that my department practices is an alley or beam raise, for the times a ladder has to be placed between two buildings without much room to raise the ladder from the bedded (flat) position.

Photo 2: Bad weather doesn't mean you cannot train on the basics with ladders inside the station. When using ladders in the apparatus bay, consider where the tip of the ladder will be positioned when raising, and what function it will serve once the ladder is raised.

Ventilation—Most departments practice ventilation by forcing/breaking windows or opening up roofs on structures. While these skills are critical, a key point to ventilation is the control of the air or flow path. It is vital to understand that once the building is opened up, controlling the air flow is still a function of the vent crew. This can be demonstrated with ventilation fans, tarps or salvage covers, and theatrical smoke. Crews hang tarps or covers over existing doorways into the apparatus bay area, and place a fan by each door. If theatrical smoke generation is available, fill the area with smoke, and start to open up covered doors for natural ventilation. Next, choose one door and turn on the fan; position the fan so that it will force air into the area, and then position the fan so it forces air out of the area (Venturi effect). Further effects can be demonstrated by limiting the size of the opening for ventilation through door control or physical means.

Photo 3: Crews can use the rapid intervention kit to assure that all of the members can operate each connection point in an efficient manner.

Rapid intervention kit skills—Members must become thoroughly familiar with the operation of the department's rapid intervention kit; this has true life-or-death ramifications to it if proficiency is not at peak performance (see Photo 3). Can the members operate the kit within a limited-visibility environment? Can the members operate all of the functions of the kit with a gloved hand? Can the members get an air supply to the mask of the downed "victim" within an acceptable amount of time? To check their skills, place an SCBA on a mannequin with an activated PASS device within the apparatus area. Crews are sent into the area with waxed paper covering their SCBA facepieces to simulate limited visibility, reach the victim and pressurize the victim's SCBA in as little time as possible.

Rope/rescue operations—One of the most underestimated tools on the fireground is a length of rope. Every department carries rope, but most firefighters shy away from using it, mostly due to lack of practice of basic knots used on the incident scene. A good refresher drill starts by laying out a variety of tools from the apparatus on the apparatus floor area and laying out a few pieces of utility rope by the tools. Members can take turns moving from tool to tool, tying an appropriate knot that can be used to hoist the tool up to an above-grade area. The focus here should be on attaching the rope to the item so it does not come loose and fall out of the attachment.

Photo 4: Crews can use ropes to practice moving tools or rope rescue skills. During this drill, members constructed a ladder gantry off one of the columns in the firehouse. This was used as a change of direction to lift a packaged patient off the floor.

If your department provides rope rescue for the community you protect, consider a review of haul systems and constructing two line systems (main line and belay). Systems could be attached to an object to be raised or lowered so that the system will be tested through operation once completed (see Photo 4). Attaching a time limit to this skill can increase the competitiveness of the crews, but it can also lead to safety infractions in lieu of shaving seconds off the clock—member safety must always remain in the forefront.

Lifting and moving objects—Fundamental skills for moving heavy objects are critical on the rescue scene. Staff vehicles and trailers can serve as objects for lifting and moving. This drill can cover all aspects of lifting equipment on the apparatus, including pneumatic air bags, manual hydraulic jacks, manual jacks, hydraulic tools, cribbing, struts and levers. Be sure to clear a large area of the apparatus bay floor for this training, as skills involving this operation can require a significant amount of space to operate in. A heightened level of safety and awareness shall be prevalent any time powered tools are in operation and heavy objects begin to leave the ground.

Patient packaging—Most members are competent in securing victims within the packaging devices that they have at their disposal. What happens when the call comes that will not allow the department to use the devices that the members are familiar with? Perhaps the victim does not fit into the device, the area the victim is in is not large enough to allow the device to be deployed, or the injuries to the victim will not allow them to be packaged in any other position than the one they are presently in. Do your members have the skills to safely and efficiently improvise their skills to remove a victim in this case? While the functions of the packaging devices are critical, accessibility to the victim with the device is first and foremost (see Photo 5). Limiting the area for packaging is one way to improve the efficiency of the member’s skills, along with providing a scenario that requires the member to improvise their removal. Planning ahead for these incidents will pay dividends in the long run.

Photo 5: Multiple methods of packaging for patient removal must be practiced. A drill that incorporates a manikin inside the station can help crews adapt as necessary.

Conclusion

Sometimes the best efforts in planning company training are derailed by situations beyond our control. Inclement weather hampers the learning environment by putting undue stress and discomfort on the student, and takes the momentum from the learning environment. The previous mentioned drills just scratch the surface of the potential for indoor training within your respective department. With a little creativity and some preparation, training officers can be ready for any type of training topic, whether the classroom is indoors or outdoors. All that is needed is a little resourcefulness.

Until next time, stay focused and stay safe.

MICHAEL DALEY, a Firehouse.com Contributing Editor, serves with Monroe Township, NJ, Fire District No. 3 as a lieutenant and serves on New Jersey Task Force 1. He earned the Master Fire Instructor certification from the ISFSI and is an instructor at the Middlesex County Fire Academy where he developed rescue training curriculum. He is a managing member of Fire Service Performance Concepts.