This past weekend I was asked to help out with some awesome training. I got a text from the chief of my volunteer department about some drills going on at a building scheduled for demolition. "IM IN!" was my reply! Its not everyday you get told by a building owner, If yuo want come cut up and beat down as much of this building as you want. Luckily this training turned into another opportunity for me to teach. Passing it on! I was told by my buddy who was in charge of it to be ready to teach forcible entry or ventilation. I was REALLY hoping to not have to teach ventilation!
DRILL DAY
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| Collapse prop using what we had. |
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| Hinges, string, nails, and trash is all we needed to succeed |
The day of the drill I show up to the building we were donated and find a bunch of the guys from the host department doing some general housekeeping of the building to make it safe for those inside. Sweeping out the rooms, taking down light bulbs; they even painted the windows out front black. IT GOT DARK! I walked in to find another guy I worked with got asked to help out too. He LOVES teaching ventilation. SCORE, I’m off the hook. Pete’s cuttin holes and I’m bustin doors! It was at that moment I knew it was going to be a fun day! Pete and I worked together on a prop that was going to be used in the final end all be all drill for the night. It was a collapse prop meant to "scare the piss outta someone." We were really excited to use it. Once all our props were in place and instructors said their hellos to each other it was time to bring in the students. We did our normal "hey stay out of the road, no running, wear your helmet" safety speech and got down to business. With the 30+ students in attendance being a majority under 20 I have to say they all were extremely well behaved. They came in their groups to each station, listened to instructions, and got to work. No one came into a station acting like they knew everything. No one gave the "that’s not how we do it." It was extremely enjoyable to be involved with a group that was there to learn how to be fireman.
Like I said earlier, I got to teach one of my favorite subjects. Forcible entry is a blast. You get to break things but you have to do it in a way that is controlled. You can’t just got tearing things up because you want to. It was a very down and dirty instructional period. The host department wanted us to focus on the RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) concepts of our subjects. I showed off the usual tools on the trucks. Pry bar, halligan, ax, k-tool, sledge hammer. What almost no one realized was available was a K12! I explained to the students the pros and cons to the different tools and tried to get them to grasp that this was an area in the fire service that they can tailor to themselves. I wanted so bad for each student to get the idea that this was a thinking mans game and that forcing obstacles means you have to think outside the box. You’re not always going to find the answer on how to do something from an essentials manual.
Once the tool refresher was gone I explained to the students what softening a building was and how important it is when there are crews working inside. To my surprise each person that I came across said they wouldn’t break all the windows out! THAT SHOWS US WERE MAKING PROGRESS!!! I don’t know who taught them that or if they figured it out on their own but I reinforced the hell out of it! The students walked me around the building pointing out hazards, obstacles, and landmarks. Each time we came across something they had a question about we stopped and talked. Trying to let the students tell each other about the small differences in construction; like how to tell the difference in telephone, cable, and power lines. You learn more by teaching than you do listening. I promise.
BREAK TIME
Now that all the "lame" part of instruction was over it was time to break stuff. We had a metal inward swinging door with a solid metal frame to work with. I loved it because it allowed me to show them what was physically going on when they used to wrong technique and what it felt like when they did it right. I was able to reuse this door over and over until it finally just came out the wall. I held it in place from one side as long as I could but we eventually had to leave it. The other group had a similar door but solid wood with a 6 pane window. Luckily between the two doors everyone left that day having put their hands on tools and physically forcing a door open. I wanted everyone to know it’s not as easy as it looks on Rescue Me.
All the stations were finished and the time had come for me to pack up and head to the house. I was not able to stay for the final drill of the night but I had full confidence in the students I had. All the instructors the next day at work said "Man you missed an awesome drill!" I like hearing that. I like being told that everything that was done was correct. I like getting good feedback not just from students but from my peers. I like to know that we were able to take something in our community that was trash to so many others and get a day full of in depth training that otherwise would not have happened. We were able to give a level of instruction that is not always available to those trying to learn the craft of being a firefighter. These opportunities come along to some frequently. To others not so much. If you are a line or chief officer I BEG YOU, PLEASE push your guys to go to these trainings. Even if it is at a department that you don’t like. If its being lead by an instructor you don’t agree with, GO! You WILL learn something. Even if its something small about you or your tools from practicing a skill, you will learn something. Look for those old buildings in your first and second due that could be used. Get a hold of the building owners and see what you can do with them. Don’t let these opportunities pass you by. There is no excuse why everyone second due to the building we had this weekend was not represented. There is no excuse why a department should be ok with not training. There is no reason that you should feel as though you are completely prepared for the next call because you are "certified." Ill take an uncertified old timer that’s been there done that over a certified paper tiger all day long. When its 1000 degrees there aint no time to think about it. There’s only time to do!
I wish that every day I had the opportunity to do what I did this weekend. I get more enjoyment out of that than almost anything else. I can only hope that others continue to pass on as much as they can to the ones beside and behind us. It will make a difference. One person, one truck, one house at a time. We will make a difference. Join us or get left behind.
