December 28 (Day 32)
There are 4 tests this week, the first of which is on CPR this afternoon. The morning lectures covered 2 subjects: Wildland Firefighting and Rehabilitation (the process of taking tired firefighters on the scene of an emergency and providing them medical treatment, hydration, rest, and food so they can return to work on the fire ground). In the afternoon we received training from the Regions Hospital EMS staff on CPR and the use of the AED (automatic external defibrillator). It was a long classroom day, but enjoyable. I scored 100% on the CPR exam. That’s one test down, three to go!
At the end of the class day, we completed 50 minutes of hard physical training at the Warner Coliseum. I ran the stairs in full turn out gear, which made for a very hot, tiring, yet rewarding work out! I received a Heart Rate Monitor for Christmas, and had set it up over the weekend. I used it to monitor my workout today, and was surprised at how much more intense the workout was in full PPE. My average heart rate for the 40 minutes workout was 87% of my Maximum Heart Rate (Maximum Heart Rate is the fastest maximum rate that your heart can beat. I think it blows up after that ! - it sure felt that way to me, anyway!).
I was training in the top of Zone 4 and went into Zone 5 for 16 minutes during the workout. The highest heart rate recorded during the 40 minute session was 98% of my Maximum Heart Rate. I don’t know a lot about Heart Rate Zone Training yet, but it was a GREAT workout, and I felt really good after stopping! The Coliseum steps are steep and have a narrow tread to them – coming down is somewhat treacherous in boots, but I managed without turning an ankle. I have run this workout in PPE several times now; the only real difficulty is some soreness in my calves the following day.
=======================================
December 29 (Day 33)
Today was a day of “review” and preparation for the significant tests looming in the latter half of the week: the Minnesota State Firefighter I certification test (written and practical portions) and the Second Quarter Practical Exam. We also had a written test today – Quiz #7 covering 3 chapters in the textbook. I had no difficulty with the test, and the review sessions went fine.
The Second Quarter Practical test (to be held on Friday) was a stomach turner. It didn’t look too difficult, but there are several “critical criteria” that - if missed – result in an automatic failure. You never can be certain of passing any of these exams, and many of us were….well, mildly worried of messing something up or missing a critical step. We ran through the test today for practice – our first time running through it. The test goes like this:
• Recruit must start a rotary power saw and saw through a ¾” piece of rebar to open the steel door of the drill tower,
• After shutting down the saw, proceed to a nearby fire engine and remove a 45 pound electrical fan from the rig and bring it back to the door of the drill tower, pulling the electrical cord as you go,
• Position the fan so that it provides Positive Pressure Ventilation (forcing air into the building) and turn on the fan,
• Prepare a charged hose line for hoisting to the third floor window (clove hitch, safety knot, and half hitch),
• Don face piece and “go on air” – we now have full PPE and SCBA on and are breathing air from our tank (if the PPE is not fully covering all skin, you fail automatically),
• Carry a 70 pound hose bundle up to the 3rd floor of the tower (I run up the stairs),
• Drop the bundle and connect a gated “Y” valve and hose line to a sprinkler stand pipe connection,
• Drag a charged hose across the room and open the nozzle; hold that position and flow water for 60 seconds (simulating fighting a fire on the third floor of the building). We used a hose line with a 60 pound weight on the end to simulate the weight of the water – it was far too cold outside to actually flow water through the hose,
• Run up the stairs to the 5th floor and hoist a 75 pound hose bundle up through the window (lots of arm power required, and the window is 40 feet + above the ground),
• Run back down the stairs and exit the drill tower.
The above steps MUST be complete in 7 minutes or less!
My first practice session was completed in 5 minutes, 28 seconds. Everything went smooth. I was breathing heavily after running up the stairs to the third floor with the hose bundle, but once into position with the charged hose line, I was able to slow my breathing and “rest” (relatively speaking!). The run up to the fifth floor was no sweat, and I could see the end in sight, but the hose bundle raise to the 5th floor window kicked my butt!
The afternoon physical training session was conducted at the Warner Coliseum again, and this time I ran around the concourse of the Coliseum and did calisthenics and stretches. Following the physical training hour, several us returned to the Training Center with our instructor, Bernie Vrona, and reviewed the practical testing stations for tomorrow’s State Certification Test.
I had easily passed the written test today, and the practice session for Friday’s Quarterly practical test had gone well. Two tests down….the hardest two to go!
Tim
Fire Chief Tim Butler
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Saturday, January 2, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
DAY 31 - SEARCH AND RESCUE ON CHRISTMAS EVE
December 24, 2009:
This morning, we dug out from a 6 inch overnight snowfall. My fellow recruits and I showed up early to class and began shoveling out the sidewalks and stairs for the various buildings at the Training Facility. This mirrors the work down out at the Saint Paul Fire stations, where on-duty firefighters have to clear ice and snow from the station aprons, sidewalks, and parking areas following each winter snowstorm. My classmates and I completed this work, then began our daily “station clean ups” of vacuuming and cleaning the classrooms and other areas of the Training Facility.
Today’s morning classroom and afternoon practical sessions focused on a primary function of firefighting: Search and Rescue. “Search” involves looking for people and pets that are inside a burning building or hazardous environment, while “Rescue” involves assisting them in actually getting out of the dangerous area. It is a function that begins when we arrive on the scene of an emergency, and oftentimes takes place while – or even before – we are fighting the actual fire. Searching “in front” (or above) the advancing hose line is one of the most dangerous aspects of the job. The hose line (and the water it carries) provides a measure of safety for the attack crew – the water provides a means of protecting themselves from the fire, and the hose line itself can lead them out of the structure if they become disorientated in the smoky conditions. Search and rescue crews often have to perform their work in front of the hose team, or above the floor where a hose team is working. It is extremely hazardous and extremely exhausting work!
Our instructor today was Firefighter Derek Peterson, from Saint Paul Rescue Squad 3. Like so many of the instructors we’ve been blessed to have during this academy, he is a master at teaching his specialty – and Derek has a wealth of specialties! He’s a talented instructor, an expert in technical rescue operations, and a tough and experienced firefighter. What I didn’t know about Derek until today is that he is also a paramedic! He can do it all, and he “brought it all” to class with him today! He has an easy-going instructional style, but he pulls no punches in “telling it like it is.” He’s tough, authentic, and talented!
His morning lecture covered search and rescue patterns and techniques, the mental and physical aspects of search and rescue, pet rescues, dealing with families, firefighter survival, and the history behind various rescue maneuvers and exercises. He also provided an excellent opportunity for my classmates to hear first hand about “life in the station” – the schedule, the personalities, the routine chores, and the pitfalls to avoid as a newly-graduated firefighter. These insights into “what it will be like out there” are one of the most educational and enjoyable aspects of having “guest” instructors come into class – that and the fact that each are chosen for their demonstrated expertise!
In the afternoon we conducted search and rescue operations in the burn building: full turn out gear and SCBAs in place, “on air” (breathing from our tanks), and facemasks covered so we cannot see, we went into the building in teams of three to search for “fire victims” – manikins placed in various rooms throughout the building. My team found the victim on each entry, and crawled around in the basement, the main floor, and the second floor of the building on 3 separate searches. It was tiring work. There was a considerable “mental” aspect to the work as well. One of the keys to conducting search and rescue is to maintain your orientation inside the building so you can find your way out again when you cannot see. “Drawing a mental map” of the building as you search is critical to safe and successful searching, and using your other senses (touch and hearing) requires some intense concentration. Communication between search team members was critical for success and safety. Most of us found it helpful to close our eyes and focus on thinking and listening, as we couldn’t see anything anyway!
Once we found a “victim” in the building, we assessed their medical condition, and rescued them by dragging them back to the doorway we had entered from the outside of the building. The practical exercises were a graphic reinforcement of the morning’s lessons, and were a superb compliment to the firefighter survival and rescue exercises we had conducted yesterday afternoon. Combined, these two days of practical exercises (firefighter survival and Search and Rescue) were the most enjoyable days in class for me so far. ALL of it has been enjoyable, but these two days really posed some rigorous physical and mental challenges, put us through some strenuous physical training, and provided skills that would save our own lives, or the lives of our fellow firefighters and citizens. It was a most rewarding way to finish off “Week Seven!”
We were dismissed early today – no PT hour – but we had exercised plenty already, given the afternoon search and rescue practical sessions.
Tim
This morning, we dug out from a 6 inch overnight snowfall. My fellow recruits and I showed up early to class and began shoveling out the sidewalks and stairs for the various buildings at the Training Facility. This mirrors the work down out at the Saint Paul Fire stations, where on-duty firefighters have to clear ice and snow from the station aprons, sidewalks, and parking areas following each winter snowstorm. My classmates and I completed this work, then began our daily “station clean ups” of vacuuming and cleaning the classrooms and other areas of the Training Facility.
Today’s morning classroom and afternoon practical sessions focused on a primary function of firefighting: Search and Rescue. “Search” involves looking for people and pets that are inside a burning building or hazardous environment, while “Rescue” involves assisting them in actually getting out of the dangerous area. It is a function that begins when we arrive on the scene of an emergency, and oftentimes takes place while – or even before – we are fighting the actual fire. Searching “in front” (or above) the advancing hose line is one of the most dangerous aspects of the job. The hose line (and the water it carries) provides a measure of safety for the attack crew – the water provides a means of protecting themselves from the fire, and the hose line itself can lead them out of the structure if they become disorientated in the smoky conditions. Search and rescue crews often have to perform their work in front of the hose team, or above the floor where a hose team is working. It is extremely hazardous and extremely exhausting work!
Our instructor today was Firefighter Derek Peterson, from Saint Paul Rescue Squad 3. Like so many of the instructors we’ve been blessed to have during this academy, he is a master at teaching his specialty – and Derek has a wealth of specialties! He’s a talented instructor, an expert in technical rescue operations, and a tough and experienced firefighter. What I didn’t know about Derek until today is that he is also a paramedic! He can do it all, and he “brought it all” to class with him today! He has an easy-going instructional style, but he pulls no punches in “telling it like it is.” He’s tough, authentic, and talented!
His morning lecture covered search and rescue patterns and techniques, the mental and physical aspects of search and rescue, pet rescues, dealing with families, firefighter survival, and the history behind various rescue maneuvers and exercises. He also provided an excellent opportunity for my classmates to hear first hand about “life in the station” – the schedule, the personalities, the routine chores, and the pitfalls to avoid as a newly-graduated firefighter. These insights into “what it will be like out there” are one of the most educational and enjoyable aspects of having “guest” instructors come into class – that and the fact that each are chosen for their demonstrated expertise!
In the afternoon we conducted search and rescue operations in the burn building: full turn out gear and SCBAs in place, “on air” (breathing from our tanks), and facemasks covered so we cannot see, we went into the building in teams of three to search for “fire victims” – manikins placed in various rooms throughout the building. My team found the victim on each entry, and crawled around in the basement, the main floor, and the second floor of the building on 3 separate searches. It was tiring work. There was a considerable “mental” aspect to the work as well. One of the keys to conducting search and rescue is to maintain your orientation inside the building so you can find your way out again when you cannot see. “Drawing a mental map” of the building as you search is critical to safe and successful searching, and using your other senses (touch and hearing) requires some intense concentration. Communication between search team members was critical for success and safety. Most of us found it helpful to close our eyes and focus on thinking and listening, as we couldn’t see anything anyway!
Once we found a “victim” in the building, we assessed their medical condition, and rescued them by dragging them back to the doorway we had entered from the outside of the building. The practical exercises were a graphic reinforcement of the morning’s lessons, and were a superb compliment to the firefighter survival and rescue exercises we had conducted yesterday afternoon. Combined, these two days of practical exercises (firefighter survival and Search and Rescue) were the most enjoyable days in class for me so far. ALL of it has been enjoyable, but these two days really posed some rigorous physical and mental challenges, put us through some strenuous physical training, and provided skills that would save our own lives, or the lives of our fellow firefighters and citizens. It was a most rewarding way to finish off “Week Seven!”
We were dismissed early today – no PT hour – but we had exercised plenty already, given the afternoon search and rescue practical sessions.
Tim
DECEMBER 23 - HUMP DAY - THE REST OF THE STORY
December 23, 2009:
Today’s class started off – as a lot of our days do – with a motivational or philosophical session with Chief Morehead. His enduring theme is “customer service” and being a public servant first and foremost. It is a theme close to my heart as well, and he never disappoints me in bringing great examples, “war stories,” or personal insights on how to become a more customer service oriented public servant. Today he discussed the recent suspension of several east coast Emergency Medical Technicians who failed to go the aid of a woman experiencing a medical emergency. Chief Morehead focused on the acronym “SCHIPP:” Service, Courage, Honesty, Integrity, Pride, and Professionalism – these are the characteristics he is trying to build (or bring to full bloom) in the fire recruits.
Our written test (normally held on Friday), was moved up to today, and covered the topics of Firefighter Survival, Vehicle Extrication, and Terrorism. Following the exam, our instructor, Bernie Vrona, presented a lesson on Blood Borne pathogens. It is significant to note that the last Line of Duty firefighter death in Saint Paul (Firefighter Ray Hain) was attributed to a blood borne pathogen.
The afternoon sessions focused on firefighter survival and rescue skills. The practical exercises reinforced several recent classroom lectures on firefighter survival, Rapid Intervention Team work (rescuing firefighters), and rescue operations. There were 5 stations, and the class divided into small groups to go through each station. Radio communication between instructors and student groups kept us all informed of “when to rotate” to a new training station. The five stations were:
• Stair carries (how to move an unconscious civilian victim – or fellow firefighter – up and down stairwells)
• Wall breeches (how to make a hole in a wall and successfully move yourself or a victim through the space between the wall studs)
• Disentanglements (how to successfully avoid being entangled by downed wires inside a structure – and how to extricate yourself if you become entangled)
• Ladder bails (emergency egress from a burning building onto a ladder)
• The “Denver Drill” (recue of a downed firefighter through a high, narrow window)
The afternoon was A BLAST! It was tough, challenging, and made me THINK. The importance of THINKING, not panicking, and using good body mechanics were repeatedly driven home throughout the afternoon. I love physical and mental challenges, and today’s skill training added a third major incentive: saving my own life or the life of another firefighter/civilian. A “triple whammy” as far as I was concerned!
The stair carry station really stressed proper body mechanics for lifting another person. In our exercise, a team of two of us carried another fire recruit up and down the stairway inside the Drill Tower. Take a 180 pound firefighter, add 50 pounds of equipment, and add another 25 for good measure to simulate the weight of the gear when it’s wet. So 2 of us were carrying over 250 pounds of “dead weight” up 5 flights of stairs! We did it without undue strain and no injuries, thanks to proper positioning, good body mechanics, and liberal use of a “Morehead Strap” – a long loop of nylon webbing we carry in our the pockets of our turn out gear (many fire departments have these straps, known by various names). The strap extends your reach and provides a handhold for lifting in a wide variety of situations. The key to body mechanics is to keep your back straight, lift with the big muscles in your legs, and coordinate your movements with those of your partner. Real success on the stairway came when one firefighter lifted from the top/back of the victim (using the Morehead Strap), and the other firefighter PUSHED from the bottom (put the victims legs over your shoulders, use your arms to lift them up to the next step, and use your legs to support and drive the victim’s weight). Looks funnier than heck, I’m sure, but it certainly moves the victim up the stairs in a safe, efficient manner!
The Wall Breech Station was essentially a portion of a typical stud wall found in the interior rooms of most homes: drywall over wooden 2” x 4” stud walls. The studs are 14 ½ inches apart. Now, take a 200 pound firefighter, full turn out gear and SCBA tank, and make him get through a 14 ½ inch wide opening (without using an axe to make the opening bigger!). This skill reinforces the critical mental thinking necessary for making an emergency rescue when there is no other way out to safety – we might have to punch a hole through a wall and extricate ourselves from danger (or access a victim, or rescue a downed firefighter).
So how do you get through a 14.5 inch wide space while dressed in full turn out gear and SCBA? Crawl to the hole and turn so your back is facing the hole. Stick your air tank through the hole. Sweep your arm over your head like you’re doing the backstroke. Wiggle your shoulder through the opening as you turn on your side. Wiggle through the hole. You CAN do it!
The Entanglement Station was another simple, yet effective prop, provided by Hennepin Technical College. The prop can be easily constructed by firefighters wishing to practice this skill on their own or in a fire station. The prop is essentially a wooden box you crawl through, with a mess of wires and cords hanging down from the top of the box. As you crawl through the box in full gear, the wires, cords, and ropes get caught on your helmet, air pack, face piece, and a variety of other places on your body and entangle you. In a fire, suspended ceiling wire, electrical cords, drapery/window blind cords, and other hanging hazards can trap you. As you struggle to free yourself (or await rescue by fellow firefighters) your air can run out and you can get die. This skill station taught us some technique to avoid entanglement and how to extricate yourself if you are caught.
Some of the practical tips I learned were: the space beneath you is likely “clear” of any wires/cords (since they are hanging down or have fallen down on you) – keep that area clear. Use your arms to “swim” through the wires/cords and LIFT the wires up from the clear space underneath you. Start above your head (in front of you when you’re crawling) and sweep/lift the wires over your body – lift them up to create a clear spot to crawl into, and inch your way forward. If you get caught, feel your way to the cord or wire and attempt to free yourself – or cut your way out if you have a wire cutter in your pocket. All of these actions are taken, of course, AFTER you have radioed a “Mayday” call and told others that you are trapped and attempting to free yourself.
The Ladder Bail station was designed to teach us the basics of “bailing out a window” onto a ladder in extreme emergencies. Using a ladder raised to the second story window of our drill tower, we took turns bailing out of the window and sliding safely to the ground. The technique consists of the following essential steps:
Lean FAR out the window, bending head first and reaching as far down the ladder as you can.....hook your left elbow around a rung of the ladder.....reach down with the right hand to the next rung down the ladder....slide head first out the window and – using the elbow you have hooked around the rung as a pivot – swing your legs to the side and down the ladder...position your feet and hands on the outside beams of the ladder....slide feet first down to the ground. The elbow lock is made only with the elbow hooked around the rung – if you grab onto a rung with that hand, you’ll break your wrist. Even that would seem a small trade off compared to burning up inside the building, but all of us completed the drill several times (I did it four times), without injuries. It was a bit scary at first – essentially a leap of faith head first out the window – but after several successful practices, it turned out to actually be a very enjoyable, yet deadly serious, practical session.
The Denver Drill was so named because of a Denver firefighter, Mark Langvardt, who died in the line of duty in 1992. Trapped on the second floor of a commercial structure fire, he collapsed inside a narrow 28” wide storage room with a single window leading to the outside. The window sill was 42” above the floor. In spite of repeated efforts to rescue him, no one could maneuver inside the room, straddle him, and bodily lift him 42” straight up to get him out the window. He was 6’ 1” tall, weighed about 275 pounds with all his gear and equipment on, and was just too heavy and in too tight of a space for a successful rescue. Following his death, the Denver Fire Department recreated the room and tried dozens of ways to try to make a successful rescue. They figured it out eventually, and the “Denver Drill” is a well known exercise for teaching firefighter rescue from a narrow, confined space.
Our class practiced the Denver Drill with one person on the ladder outside the window and either one or two of my classmates and me in the room with the fallen firefighter. The secret was to pull the fallen firefighter away from the wall beneath the window, slide one rescuer in between the fallen firefighter and the wall, and use that firefighter as a human “ramp,” pushing the fallen firefighter up the ramp to the window. Body mechanics – getting the legs onto your shoulder and PUSHING with your legs (just like the stairway rescue) was the key to having enough strength to making the rescue.
The 5 practical stations today were mentally challenging, physically demanding, and they provided practical solutions to “real world” rescue situations. The skills taught us to THINK, to use good body mechanics and the big muscles in our legs for doing the heavy work, and gave us confidence in each other, our gear, and our own abilities. It was the best, most enjoyable day at the academy so far!
Today provided tremendous reinforcement to my ever expanding appreciation for firefighters and the services they provide! I am so impressed with the resourcefulness, the physical toughness, and the practicality of firefighters. Finding rapid, practical solutions to time critical and life threatening situations, and MAKING them work in spite of significant challenges is extremely important and rewarding work!! The physical and mental agility, the ingenuity, and the diligence in carrying out an action plan to assist others are some of the most endearing – and enduring - characteristics of the American Fire Service – and the American Firefighter! I am very honored to be serving alongside men and women of this high caliber!
Tim
Today’s class started off – as a lot of our days do – with a motivational or philosophical session with Chief Morehead. His enduring theme is “customer service” and being a public servant first and foremost. It is a theme close to my heart as well, and he never disappoints me in bringing great examples, “war stories,” or personal insights on how to become a more customer service oriented public servant. Today he discussed the recent suspension of several east coast Emergency Medical Technicians who failed to go the aid of a woman experiencing a medical emergency. Chief Morehead focused on the acronym “SCHIPP:” Service, Courage, Honesty, Integrity, Pride, and Professionalism – these are the characteristics he is trying to build (or bring to full bloom) in the fire recruits.
Our written test (normally held on Friday), was moved up to today, and covered the topics of Firefighter Survival, Vehicle Extrication, and Terrorism. Following the exam, our instructor, Bernie Vrona, presented a lesson on Blood Borne pathogens. It is significant to note that the last Line of Duty firefighter death in Saint Paul (Firefighter Ray Hain) was attributed to a blood borne pathogen.
The afternoon sessions focused on firefighter survival and rescue skills. The practical exercises reinforced several recent classroom lectures on firefighter survival, Rapid Intervention Team work (rescuing firefighters), and rescue operations. There were 5 stations, and the class divided into small groups to go through each station. Radio communication between instructors and student groups kept us all informed of “when to rotate” to a new training station. The five stations were:
• Stair carries (how to move an unconscious civilian victim – or fellow firefighter – up and down stairwells)
• Wall breeches (how to make a hole in a wall and successfully move yourself or a victim through the space between the wall studs)
• Disentanglements (how to successfully avoid being entangled by downed wires inside a structure – and how to extricate yourself if you become entangled)
• Ladder bails (emergency egress from a burning building onto a ladder)
• The “Denver Drill” (recue of a downed firefighter through a high, narrow window)
The afternoon was A BLAST! It was tough, challenging, and made me THINK. The importance of THINKING, not panicking, and using good body mechanics were repeatedly driven home throughout the afternoon. I love physical and mental challenges, and today’s skill training added a third major incentive: saving my own life or the life of another firefighter/civilian. A “triple whammy” as far as I was concerned!
The stair carry station really stressed proper body mechanics for lifting another person. In our exercise, a team of two of us carried another fire recruit up and down the stairway inside the Drill Tower. Take a 180 pound firefighter, add 50 pounds of equipment, and add another 25 for good measure to simulate the weight of the gear when it’s wet. So 2 of us were carrying over 250 pounds of “dead weight” up 5 flights of stairs! We did it without undue strain and no injuries, thanks to proper positioning, good body mechanics, and liberal use of a “Morehead Strap” – a long loop of nylon webbing we carry in our the pockets of our turn out gear (many fire departments have these straps, known by various names). The strap extends your reach and provides a handhold for lifting in a wide variety of situations. The key to body mechanics is to keep your back straight, lift with the big muscles in your legs, and coordinate your movements with those of your partner. Real success on the stairway came when one firefighter lifted from the top/back of the victim (using the Morehead Strap), and the other firefighter PUSHED from the bottom (put the victims legs over your shoulders, use your arms to lift them up to the next step, and use your legs to support and drive the victim’s weight). Looks funnier than heck, I’m sure, but it certainly moves the victim up the stairs in a safe, efficient manner!
The Wall Breech Station was essentially a portion of a typical stud wall found in the interior rooms of most homes: drywall over wooden 2” x 4” stud walls. The studs are 14 ½ inches apart. Now, take a 200 pound firefighter, full turn out gear and SCBA tank, and make him get through a 14 ½ inch wide opening (without using an axe to make the opening bigger!). This skill reinforces the critical mental thinking necessary for making an emergency rescue when there is no other way out to safety – we might have to punch a hole through a wall and extricate ourselves from danger (or access a victim, or rescue a downed firefighter).
So how do you get through a 14.5 inch wide space while dressed in full turn out gear and SCBA? Crawl to the hole and turn so your back is facing the hole. Stick your air tank through the hole. Sweep your arm over your head like you’re doing the backstroke. Wiggle your shoulder through the opening as you turn on your side. Wiggle through the hole. You CAN do it!
The Entanglement Station was another simple, yet effective prop, provided by Hennepin Technical College. The prop can be easily constructed by firefighters wishing to practice this skill on their own or in a fire station. The prop is essentially a wooden box you crawl through, with a mess of wires and cords hanging down from the top of the box. As you crawl through the box in full gear, the wires, cords, and ropes get caught on your helmet, air pack, face piece, and a variety of other places on your body and entangle you. In a fire, suspended ceiling wire, electrical cords, drapery/window blind cords, and other hanging hazards can trap you. As you struggle to free yourself (or await rescue by fellow firefighters) your air can run out and you can get die. This skill station taught us some technique to avoid entanglement and how to extricate yourself if you are caught.
Some of the practical tips I learned were: the space beneath you is likely “clear” of any wires/cords (since they are hanging down or have fallen down on you) – keep that area clear. Use your arms to “swim” through the wires/cords and LIFT the wires up from the clear space underneath you. Start above your head (in front of you when you’re crawling) and sweep/lift the wires over your body – lift them up to create a clear spot to crawl into, and inch your way forward. If you get caught, feel your way to the cord or wire and attempt to free yourself – or cut your way out if you have a wire cutter in your pocket. All of these actions are taken, of course, AFTER you have radioed a “Mayday” call and told others that you are trapped and attempting to free yourself.
The Ladder Bail station was designed to teach us the basics of “bailing out a window” onto a ladder in extreme emergencies. Using a ladder raised to the second story window of our drill tower, we took turns bailing out of the window and sliding safely to the ground. The technique consists of the following essential steps:
Lean FAR out the window, bending head first and reaching as far down the ladder as you can.....hook your left elbow around a rung of the ladder.....reach down with the right hand to the next rung down the ladder....slide head first out the window and – using the elbow you have hooked around the rung as a pivot – swing your legs to the side and down the ladder...position your feet and hands on the outside beams of the ladder....slide feet first down to the ground. The elbow lock is made only with the elbow hooked around the rung – if you grab onto a rung with that hand, you’ll break your wrist. Even that would seem a small trade off compared to burning up inside the building, but all of us completed the drill several times (I did it four times), without injuries. It was a bit scary at first – essentially a leap of faith head first out the window – but after several successful practices, it turned out to actually be a very enjoyable, yet deadly serious, practical session.
The Denver Drill was so named because of a Denver firefighter, Mark Langvardt, who died in the line of duty in 1992. Trapped on the second floor of a commercial structure fire, he collapsed inside a narrow 28” wide storage room with a single window leading to the outside. The window sill was 42” above the floor. In spite of repeated efforts to rescue him, no one could maneuver inside the room, straddle him, and bodily lift him 42” straight up to get him out the window. He was 6’ 1” tall, weighed about 275 pounds with all his gear and equipment on, and was just too heavy and in too tight of a space for a successful rescue. Following his death, the Denver Fire Department recreated the room and tried dozens of ways to try to make a successful rescue. They figured it out eventually, and the “Denver Drill” is a well known exercise for teaching firefighter rescue from a narrow, confined space.
Our class practiced the Denver Drill with one person on the ladder outside the window and either one or two of my classmates and me in the room with the fallen firefighter. The secret was to pull the fallen firefighter away from the wall beneath the window, slide one rescuer in between the fallen firefighter and the wall, and use that firefighter as a human “ramp,” pushing the fallen firefighter up the ramp to the window. Body mechanics – getting the legs onto your shoulder and PUSHING with your legs (just like the stairway rescue) was the key to having enough strength to making the rescue.
The 5 practical stations today were mentally challenging, physically demanding, and they provided practical solutions to “real world” rescue situations. The skills taught us to THINK, to use good body mechanics and the big muscles in our legs for doing the heavy work, and gave us confidence in each other, our gear, and our own abilities. It was the best, most enjoyable day at the academy so far!
Today provided tremendous reinforcement to my ever expanding appreciation for firefighters and the services they provide! I am so impressed with the resourcefulness, the physical toughness, and the practicality of firefighters. Finding rapid, practical solutions to time critical and life threatening situations, and MAKING them work in spite of significant challenges is extremely important and rewarding work!! The physical and mental agility, the ingenuity, and the diligence in carrying out an action plan to assist others are some of the most endearing – and enduring - characteristics of the American Fire Service – and the American Firefighter! I am very honored to be serving alongside men and women of this high caliber!
Tim
NEW YEARS DAY
January 1, 2010:
It has been over a week since I’ve updated this blog, and what a week it has been! Christmas has come and gone, and now New Years weekend is upon us. We’ve had 2 shortened work weeks because of the holidays, yet it seems like all I’ve done is study, train, and attend class. My children were on break from school, yet it seems like I hardly saw them, and they (and I) return to the classroom on Monday. I’ve spent a lot of late nights and early mornings this last 10 days in preparation for a wide variety of written and practical testing. I don’t know how the other recruits are fairing, but I can tell you I felt a bit frazzled this last week. I think most of us were a bit anxious about the tests we completed this past week.
It was a week with some extremely enjoyable and practical training, some challenging practical and physical exams, and constant scheduling changes caused by the weather and extensive practical training. The week seemed…..well, disjointed. This last week marked, however, a real turning point for our class. We finished the essential elements of Firefighter I certification, so we have “the basics” down, and are getting ready to move out of the classroom and begin more hands on, practical training. That phase begins on Monday when we’ll do more work in the burn building and drill tower on the “Firefighter II” portion of our training. Then, we’ll begin working alongside Saint Paul Fire crews and in our stations in the final weeks of our training. We can finally see real progress on our path from classroom-to-burn building-to-fire Station…..we all are eager to complete that transition in the remaining 5 weeks!
I’ll try to recap the week for you over the next couple of days and “get you caught up” on where our class stands and the challenges of the past week. In the mean time, please enjoy a very safe and peaceful New Year’s weekend, and I wish you all a prosperous and blessed 2010!
Tim
It has been over a week since I’ve updated this blog, and what a week it has been! Christmas has come and gone, and now New Years weekend is upon us. We’ve had 2 shortened work weeks because of the holidays, yet it seems like all I’ve done is study, train, and attend class. My children were on break from school, yet it seems like I hardly saw them, and they (and I) return to the classroom on Monday. I’ve spent a lot of late nights and early mornings this last 10 days in preparation for a wide variety of written and practical testing. I don’t know how the other recruits are fairing, but I can tell you I felt a bit frazzled this last week. I think most of us were a bit anxious about the tests we completed this past week.
It was a week with some extremely enjoyable and practical training, some challenging practical and physical exams, and constant scheduling changes caused by the weather and extensive practical training. The week seemed…..well, disjointed. This last week marked, however, a real turning point for our class. We finished the essential elements of Firefighter I certification, so we have “the basics” down, and are getting ready to move out of the classroom and begin more hands on, practical training. That phase begins on Monday when we’ll do more work in the burn building and drill tower on the “Firefighter II” portion of our training. Then, we’ll begin working alongside Saint Paul Fire crews and in our stations in the final weeks of our training. We can finally see real progress on our path from classroom-to-burn building-to-fire Station…..we all are eager to complete that transition in the remaining 5 weeks!
I’ll try to recap the week for you over the next couple of days and “get you caught up” on where our class stands and the challenges of the past week. In the mean time, please enjoy a very safe and peaceful New Year’s weekend, and I wish you all a prosperous and blessed 2010!
Tim
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
DAY 30 - HUMP DAY
Up again at 3:00 AM to study for today’s “Week 7” Quiz on Auto Extrication, Firefighter Survival, and Response to Terrorism. Today is “Hump Day” – we have completed exactly 6 ½ weeks of training, and we have 6 ½ weeks left – we be over “the hump” today (although I recall Chief Morehead’s previous warning that EVERY remaining day will be a challenging “hump” to get over). We have covered most of the textbook subjects, and next week we take our Firefighter I certification test and complete the Second Quarter Practical Exam.
The Recruit Academy has been an extremely rewarding experience so far! It has broaden my perspective of what “firefighting” is all about – the extremely wide range of services provided by the American Fire Service and specifically, the Saint Paul Fire Department. I am far more familiar with the operational aspects of our department, the tools and equipment we use, and the personalities and talents of many of the crews and instructors that have assisted our class. My appreciation for the members of our department has been significantly deepened by this experience as well. We have many, many extremely talented and knowledgeable men and women on this Department – freely sharing their experience, time, and talents with us! I am privileged to have been taught by them, and honored to serve with them!
For me, the time commitment and extra strain on both “my real job” and my family life has been extensive, but an unbelievably valuable investment overall. The extra time and effort to go through this academy has been worth every minute and every sacrifice so far! Attaining that broadened perspective, that deeper appreciation, and a more thorough knowledge of field operations were some of my primary personal objectives when I set out on this journey. I am achieving the things I had hoped to accomplish by attending Recruit Training. I’m having a great time bonding with the newest talent in the Department, and I’m learning so much from some of the wisest and most experienced people in the Department. I am very much looking forward to the next 6 ½ weeks and (fingers crossed) graduation!
Well, enough writing for now – I’ve got 2 hours to study and review my notes before Quiz #7 !!
Thanks for following along on this journey with me!
Tim
The Recruit Academy has been an extremely rewarding experience so far! It has broaden my perspective of what “firefighting” is all about – the extremely wide range of services provided by the American Fire Service and specifically, the Saint Paul Fire Department. I am far more familiar with the operational aspects of our department, the tools and equipment we use, and the personalities and talents of many of the crews and instructors that have assisted our class. My appreciation for the members of our department has been significantly deepened by this experience as well. We have many, many extremely talented and knowledgeable men and women on this Department – freely sharing their experience, time, and talents with us! I am privileged to have been taught by them, and honored to serve with them!
For me, the time commitment and extra strain on both “my real job” and my family life has been extensive, but an unbelievably valuable investment overall. The extra time and effort to go through this academy has been worth every minute and every sacrifice so far! Attaining that broadened perspective, that deeper appreciation, and a more thorough knowledge of field operations were some of my primary personal objectives when I set out on this journey. I am achieving the things I had hoped to accomplish by attending Recruit Training. I’m having a great time bonding with the newest talent in the Department, and I’m learning so much from some of the wisest and most experienced people in the Department. I am very much looking forward to the next 6 ½ weeks and (fingers crossed) graduation!
Well, enough writing for now – I’ve got 2 hours to study and review my notes before Quiz #7 !!
Thanks for following along on this journey with me!
Tim
DAY 29 - FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL
Up again at 3:00 AM this morning to go into my office. I had to pack and move the final couple of boxes from our old headquarters building to our new headquarters. I finished up about 6:00, and drove to the Training Facility for an hour of studying while parked under the street light near the drill tower. It was a cold, dark morning, and I enjoyed the solitude of a quiet study hour and the satisfaction of a (moving) finally completed. I also was eagerly anticipating today's class - I had been looking forward to it for over a week.
The syllabus listed today’s topic as “Firefighter Survival,” and our guest instructor was well known around the department and the region as a talented trainer and a very experienced firefighter: Ken Gilliam, from St. Paul Rescue Squad 1. Ken was also the chief author on a number of Department grant applications, including grants that provided the Holmatro hydraulic powered extrication equipment, the SCBAs and bunker gear we are wearing (in the field and in training), and the SAFER grant (which provided jobs for 18 members of this rookie class!).
Ken’s lecture covered a wide spectrum of firefighter safety, survival, rescue, and rapid intervention history, tools and techniques. Ken used a wide variety of videos, case studies, and after action reports from various Line of Duty Deaths and “near miss” incidents to introduce us to the history of firefighter safety and survival, individual and team survival techniques, and Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT – a specially trained and equipped team of firefighters assigned at each structure fire, and dedicated solely for rescuing lost, trapped, or injured firefighters). Ken challenges convention and pulls no punches, aiming keen, insightful, and critical comments at fire chiefs, firefighters, and fire culture to make his point and drive home the lessons that have been so painfully taught by the deaths and injuries of our fellow brothers and sisters in the fire service.
Ken’s presentation covered both the morning and afternoon classroom sessions - plus the PT hour – as he compressed several days of training into 7 short hours. We will get to practice some techniques for firefighter survival and rescue tomorrow. I cannot wait!
Tim
The syllabus listed today’s topic as “Firefighter Survival,” and our guest instructor was well known around the department and the region as a talented trainer and a very experienced firefighter: Ken Gilliam, from St. Paul Rescue Squad 1. Ken was also the chief author on a number of Department grant applications, including grants that provided the Holmatro hydraulic powered extrication equipment, the SCBAs and bunker gear we are wearing (in the field and in training), and the SAFER grant (which provided jobs for 18 members of this rookie class!).
Ken’s lecture covered a wide spectrum of firefighter safety, survival, rescue, and rapid intervention history, tools and techniques. Ken used a wide variety of videos, case studies, and after action reports from various Line of Duty Deaths and “near miss” incidents to introduce us to the history of firefighter safety and survival, individual and team survival techniques, and Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT – a specially trained and equipped team of firefighters assigned at each structure fire, and dedicated solely for rescuing lost, trapped, or injured firefighters). Ken challenges convention and pulls no punches, aiming keen, insightful, and critical comments at fire chiefs, firefighters, and fire culture to make his point and drive home the lessons that have been so painfully taught by the deaths and injuries of our fellow brothers and sisters in the fire service.
Ken’s presentation covered both the morning and afternoon classroom sessions - plus the PT hour – as he compressed several days of training into 7 short hours. We will get to practice some techniques for firefighter survival and rescue tomorrow. I cannot wait!
Tim
DAY 28 - AUTO EXTRICATION
Today we had an excellent “guest” instructor, Firefighter Joe Blank, from Saint Paul Fire’s Rescue Squad 2. Joe delivered a very informative lecture on various types of automobiles (conventional, hybrid, electric, alternative fuels, etc), how to safely extricate a person trapped inside a vehicle, and the wide variety of tools and techniques for cutting open a car to rescue trapped occupants.
Joe is an expert on auto extrication, and recently led a department team in researching, comparing, and selecting new powered extrication equipment. He also performed several hundred auto extrications during the training sessions with all Saint Paul Fire crews as they learned to use the new equipment. There is no question that Joe is an expert on the latest equipment available from a variety of manufacturers AND the wide variety of hazards and vehicle types found on the road today. It was a blessing having him teach extrication to our class! As Chief Morehead summed it up: it was the best extrication class ever conducted during a Recruit Academy!
It’s ironic that many of the features on modern cars that are designed to keep the driver and passenger safe pose a significant hazard for firefighters. Airbags, shock-absorbing bumpers, gas-assisted hood and trunk lifts, and high-strength construction all pose additional hazards for responders working to free occupants trapped inside their cars as a result of an accident. The modern propulsion systems – electric, hybrid, and alternative fuels – also pose significant challenges or dangers to firefighters responding to a crash or a vehicle fire. Joe did an exceptional job during the morning classroom presentation!
In the afternoon, we donned our bunker gear and split into four groups. Outside on the perimeter road surrounding the Training Center sat 4 cars, 4 sets of extrication tools and equipment (including the Department’s new Holmatro hydraulic powered rescue tools), and 4 other exceptional instructors from “the field:” the talented crew of Ladder 8 “A-Shift.” Along with Joe, and our Training Instructors Vrona, Deno, and Hawkins, the crew of Ladder 8 assisted each of the four groups as we practiced a variety of extrication techniques. For 3 hours we crawled all over and inside “our car” and got comfortable with the hazards, the tools, and the techniques. We:
• Stabilized the vehicle using cribbing
• We removed all the glass (using our new Res-Q-Rench center punches on the side windows and chopping out the windshield with an axe)
• Cut open the hood and cut the battery cables
• Forced open and cut off all four doors
• Cut open and removed the roof
• Cut and removed the front seat backs
• Forced open the trunk using “through the lock” techniques (forcibly remove the lock cylinder, then use a screwdriver to manipulate the locking mechanism)
• Cut off the truck lid and tunneled through the trunk into the back seat
• Forced the dashboard up and forward using a hydraulic powered ram
When we got done, our car was a pile of parts sitting on top of a “convertible” chassis! The work was physically demanding. The Holmatro hydraulic rescue tools – the Department’s latest version of the venerable “jaws of life” – did an outstanding job cutting through metal door posts and forcing open doors, but they are heavy! It was difficult at times to “get the right angle” without significant twisting and stretching and lifting. I really enjoyed the hands on extrication practice!
When we finished, we had 45 minutes left for physical training, so we ran up and down the six floors of the drill tower non-stop wearing our full PPE and SCBAs! It was a great workout, and a wonderful way to finish off a very enjoyable day of interesting classroom work AND exceptional hands on practical training!
Tim
Joe is an expert on auto extrication, and recently led a department team in researching, comparing, and selecting new powered extrication equipment. He also performed several hundred auto extrications during the training sessions with all Saint Paul Fire crews as they learned to use the new equipment. There is no question that Joe is an expert on the latest equipment available from a variety of manufacturers AND the wide variety of hazards and vehicle types found on the road today. It was a blessing having him teach extrication to our class! As Chief Morehead summed it up: it was the best extrication class ever conducted during a Recruit Academy!
It’s ironic that many of the features on modern cars that are designed to keep the driver and passenger safe pose a significant hazard for firefighters. Airbags, shock-absorbing bumpers, gas-assisted hood and trunk lifts, and high-strength construction all pose additional hazards for responders working to free occupants trapped inside their cars as a result of an accident. The modern propulsion systems – electric, hybrid, and alternative fuels – also pose significant challenges or dangers to firefighters responding to a crash or a vehicle fire. Joe did an exceptional job during the morning classroom presentation!
In the afternoon, we donned our bunker gear and split into four groups. Outside on the perimeter road surrounding the Training Center sat 4 cars, 4 sets of extrication tools and equipment (including the Department’s new Holmatro hydraulic powered rescue tools), and 4 other exceptional instructors from “the field:” the talented crew of Ladder 8 “A-Shift.” Along with Joe, and our Training Instructors Vrona, Deno, and Hawkins, the crew of Ladder 8 assisted each of the four groups as we practiced a variety of extrication techniques. For 3 hours we crawled all over and inside “our car” and got comfortable with the hazards, the tools, and the techniques. We:
• Stabilized the vehicle using cribbing
• We removed all the glass (using our new Res-Q-Rench center punches on the side windows and chopping out the windshield with an axe)
• Cut open the hood and cut the battery cables
• Forced open and cut off all four doors
• Cut open and removed the roof
• Cut and removed the front seat backs
• Forced open the trunk using “through the lock” techniques (forcibly remove the lock cylinder, then use a screwdriver to manipulate the locking mechanism)
• Cut off the truck lid and tunneled through the trunk into the back seat
• Forced the dashboard up and forward using a hydraulic powered ram
When we got done, our car was a pile of parts sitting on top of a “convertible” chassis! The work was physically demanding. The Holmatro hydraulic rescue tools – the Department’s latest version of the venerable “jaws of life” – did an outstanding job cutting through metal door posts and forcing open doors, but they are heavy! It was difficult at times to “get the right angle” without significant twisting and stretching and lifting. I really enjoyed the hands on extrication practice!
When we finished, we had 45 minutes left for physical training, so we ran up and down the six floors of the drill tower non-stop wearing our full PPE and SCBAs! It was a great workout, and a wonderful way to finish off a very enjoyable day of interesting classroom work AND exceptional hands on practical training!
Tim
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