From the Eastford Independent Fire Company #1, Inc.
Welcome to new Probation Member George Kerr. The fire department reported 18 emergency calls in March. Hopefully, winter is long gone, and we can look forward to spring and sunshine. A reminder to clean your driveways and get your free reflective house number signs.
The Pomfret and Eastford fire departments participated in a “live fire burn” drill at the Eastern Connecticut Fire School in Willimantic on Saturday, April 18. See the photos accompanying this article! “Live fire burn” training demands more than a box with flames. Fully engineered tower systems deliver realistic durability for today’s training requirements. Built with longevity and low maintenance, these systems support both new recruits and seasoned companies. “Live fire burn” drills are essential for enhancing the skills and preparedness of firefighters. Drills simulate real-world fire scenarios, allowing firefighters to practice extinguishing active fires in a controlled environment and providing hands-on experience. The importance of “live fire burns” is training in realistic conditions, reducing injuries, ensuring safety, improving decision-making, confidence building, and compliance with standards in accordance with NFPA 1403, a volunteer’s guide to safe and effective “live fire burns” training to provide hands-on experience to prepare firefighters for the dangerous and unpredictable conditions they may encounter.
Following “live fire burn” drills and actual fire-related emergencies, firefighters go through rehabilitation monitoring in accordance with NFPA 1580. Rehabilitation after fire suppression is crucial for the firefighter’s health and safety. It helps prevent immediate health crises such as heat exhaustion, dehydration, or cardiac events and injuries. Extensive rehabilitation also reduces the risk of long-term health issues and enhances performance.
Rehabilitation must be provided at all fire emergencies and training exercises when members are exposed to strenuous work or hazardous conditions. Medical evaluation includes pulse rate, blood pressure, SPO2 (oxygen in blood), and assessment for heat illnesses. Minimum rest periods of 20 minutes are mandatory, especially after changing two SCBA (oxygen tanks).
Members who fail the EMS evaluation must not return to operations. Areas of particular importance include core body temperature, which can reach 100-104 degrees when wearing a single SCBA in full gear during active suppression. Dehydration begins shortly within a single working period. Heart rates of 160-190 bpm can increase rapidly during an intracardiac attack when the cardiac muscle is under stress. Blood pressure increases cardiac demand before physical work even begins. After exiting the fire scene, the core body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure can continue to rise for several minutes before decreasing.
Experience is the best teacher. “Live Fire Burn” training provides opportunities to turn book knowledge into personal experience.
- Submitted by Jeannine Spink