In the time of an emergency, nothing is more critical to the success of the mission than having a team of seasoned professionals that have perfected their skills through regular, rigorous fire training using state-of-the-art fire department equipment. Only a team that has logged hours of training time perfecting their skills, improving their response times will be able to meet a challenge and overcome it, and it all starts with having the right tools.
Fire department equipment comes in a variety of forms and plays different roles in teaching team members the latest and best approaches to a given situation. Gas-fired props provide complete control over the training environment allowing you complete control over the environment so you can test and perfect tactics in true-to-life scenarios.
Couches, Kitchens, Beds – every major hazard can be duplicated and manipulated in as many ways as the team would experience during an actual emergency. Nothing prepares your team to execute faster and with more efficiency than having already experienced a scenario during fire training until it becomes the natural reaction.
Once you have the proper equipment – lean how to use it and apply it with FLAG and USAR trainers. Different circumstances dictate that the equipment be used in a particular manner to quickly resolve the issue. Central to mission success is to cut down as many ‘unknowns’ as possible. It’s vital that the team understands the different functions of the fire department equipment. Many times, the field demands creative use of the training tools on-hand. The only way to develop that skill is to full understand its potential as well as its limitations.
Proper fire training can be broken into 3 Key Areas:
1. Utilizing Portable Unites. Portable units allow the team to practice a variety of life-like scenarios entering and executing objectives in different environments. It could be that you want to perfect residential entries or commercial situations – in either case you’ll need only the best fire department equipment.
2. Fixed Unites & Props. Fire fighting equipment that can be controlled from start to finish allows you to practice techniques to achieve the most efficient system. Successful fire training MUST include the usage of fixed props such as couches, beds, or even commercial-style kitchens. Regular practice creates second-nature responses that are critical in life-and-death situations.
3. Fire Training Buildings. Whether you have a brick, concrete, or metal structure in which to hone the team’s skills – it will only be as effective as the fire fighting equipment with which it is filled. That’s why you should always be looking for the best equipment that can improve the team’s response times as well as teach them best practices.
Regular training under as many different conditions as possible, using the best fire department equipment will produce a team that can assess, enter, and complete any challenge in the times when it matters most. Companies count on it. People expect it. Make sure your team is full-trained because the community demands it.
