For fire training purposes firemen put wax paper in their helmets to cause a smoke-like effect so they can’t see.
Firefighters Doug Hall and Neil Evans enter a home Wednesday morning for a training session. They are using a two-man hose advancement.
During the training, firefighters Doug Hall and Neil Evans push the hose up the stairs first before going up. “It’s safer then pulling the hose behind you and a lot easier.” Lt. Jeff Pittman said, “They have to push the hose ahead of them then advance up the stairs.”
Fire fighters keep constant watch on one another.
Galion firefighters must be prepared for any emergency.
“We try to do hands-on (training) or classroom weekly.” Galion Fire Department Lt. Jeff Pennington said. “There is so much we have to keep up on, we are an all emergency department, EMS, fire, HAZMAT, dive team, recover and rescue. We practice the basic stuff.”
Firefighters practiced smoke like conditions during fire training Wednesday morning.
“We practice under black-dot conditions,” Pennington said. “We put wax in the helmet to act like smoke so we can’t see anything. We are using a two-man hose advancement, the men will advance in the hose, take it to the kitchen and then back out continuing up the stairs.”
The simulation is important to keeping firefighters prepared for a fire.
“They will (also) practice their communication (during the training).” Pennington said. “Advancing the hose helps muscle memory, we’ve gone through this tons of times but we still go through the basics.”
