By Julie Johansen
The Castle Dale Fire Department hosted a regional invitational fire school on April 22 and 23. The instruction at the school was provided by the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy (UFRA). The academy sends property trailers and instructors that are well versed in the fire world to teach and refresh members on firefighting tactics. Firefighters from many surrounding departments attended this annual instruction to learn perishable skills.
Three different classes were taught at this event. The first class was a SCBA Search and Rescue where firefighters learn skills to locate and retrieve a downed firefighter or victim of a structure fire. Members go through three props: a maze where they have to crawl through an entanglement of boxes and slopes, a smoke-filled basement that requires carrying someone up a flight of stairs, and a last resort situation of survival breaking and swimming through an interior wall.
The second class was a live fire initial attack where the firefighters learned the basics of entering a structure fire, forcing a door, and performing left or right handed searches for possible victims and the seed of a fire. Once the fire is found, firefighters report to IC (incident command) and then continue searching for possible downed victims.
The third class was basic auto extrication. In this class, firefighters spent four hours in the classroom reviewing vehicle design and safety precautions when working on a vehicle extrication. The last half of the class is spent working hands on with extrication equipment utilizing the “Jaws of Life” to remove a patient from the vehicle. The firefighters learned dash rolls, door pops, roof removals and other techniques used in extrication.
These trainings from the UFRA are appreciated by the volunteer firefighters as it helps all participants have a better understanding of fire safety and helps them return home safely after actively fighting a fire.
The Huntington Fire Department expressed its appreciation to the Castle Dale Department for hosting the fire school this year and to the UFRA for providing this instruction locally. The Huntington Volunteer Fire Department is looking for new members who would like to serve their community and invite them to attend one of their meetings on Tuesday evenings or contact Huntington City Hall for more information.
-
- Photos courtesy of the Huntington Volunteer Fire Department
