It's a new week, time for a new discussion...

I got to thinking about what training evolutions are the most critical for the Probie firefighter (point one: I'm not talking about Firefighter 1, that's a given, point two: the first one who pipes up with "ALL training is critical" is going to get smacked in the head with a dirty sock---we already know that) ---meaning, if YOU were the Training Officer and you just landed yourself a rookie, which training programs would be in your "Top 10" to get him or her started.

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heheh...5 yrs in and still can't be "correct" using the darn radios.
the area i live in is kind of wierd. there are five depts in town (ny is wierd with the whole town and village thing) but every month we all get together and train together. as far as ff survival, every interior guy is req. to pass a training session/test that all the town depts req. in that we go over room orientation, breeching walls, drags, and lifts, as well as scba emergencys such as entanglment.
While I agree, the Tools and equiptment, and eventually How best to utilize each one, is important and having a working knowledge of SOP's and rules and regulations of the company department or whatever lets face it Being able to recite word for word the company BI laws ISN'T going to be on top of my list of things that are going to save a life... since your a Captain, And they are a rookie, its Your job to let em know, the reason why we dont do this or that is because we have a bilaw that says.. we dont.... Its more important to teach firefighters to recognize when conditions are going bad quickly what color smoke will be generally in a typical wood frame dwelling, and if they were stuck above the fire room, what YOU as a Captain could and would teach them they could do to save they're own life as well as potential other lives.. using ladders to bail out as well as using ropes and tools to bail out, again to save themselves if nessisary.... point is ICS isnt that big a deal YOUR a rookie , anyone else is senior to you, firefighters , Lieutenants, Captians , and anyone with Chief In they're title are above you..Period thats all a rookie needs to know, especially since apparently your department has issues with this? what about Building construction? and for our purposes building deconstruction.... I mean if a guy has some knowledge of carpentry thats great but if the person is a Junior or Cadet and no backround in it, teaching them a little of Open your eyes, everytime you go out somewhere, L@@K at differant aspects of Building construction because even if your from East Podunk and you ever have a fire, guess what .. YOU will be overhauling so building construction will come into play... I'm Going to post something else thats revelant to the rookies and some of the less experianced senior guys too....with some stuff to think about ...
know your 0800 drill,know your reg, know your still area! go over your QRB bag every day . smo. gen orders. .thats day one!
1. Hose manuevering
2. Throwing Ladders
3. ICS
4. Venting a roof
5. Search and Rescue
6. RIT
7. Forcible Entry
8. Making a Hydrant
9. Pumping
10. Portable Monitor
You said if I were the TO what would I do and I am the TO at my department so here goes. Number one my probies get to know their gear and learn how to set it up were they feel comfortible with it then i want them to be able to don it so much they could do it blind folded. Number two they learn the truck everything from were every tool is to how to drive it and operate the pump. Number three department sog's they learn what we do in certain situations so they dont have to ask they know. Number four hose handling every thing from catching a hydrant to handling a attack line to rolling it up. Number five interior search right hand and left hand search, keeping in radio contact, staying with their partner how to call mayday. And then normaly they start asking questions and learning on their on just by doing what they've been taught and watching the others do what they've learn through out their years.
I like what I see here... Tells me I am on the right track.

I'm a Probie and I am waiting for our department to start the "in-house" Basic FF training program.

I am keeping myself busy by attending EVERY training night; reading the "Essentials of FF" textbook; have read, re-read and re-re-read the department policies; covered the standard issue health and safety, workplace harassment, political correctness stuff; totally familarized myself with radio proceedure; studying the response map to death; practicing donning and doffing my bunker gear; doing equipment checks; going through the location of every piece of equipment over and over; exercising; and selling fundraising draw tickets (volunteer dept).
(Not a single hydrant in my township so I was trained on tanker operations on my first training night).

Oh yah, reading everything I can online with my new growing knowledge (this site, fire engineering websites, etc..) and watching videos (especially the near-miss ones) trying to see what went wrong and what should have been done... tonight's online video discovery was "ohhh they got into trouble because they started venting and their line was not charged."(having just read about that in the textbook).

At scenes, I am the 'traffic control' person, and "REHAB Gopher" (aka Coffee Beeyatch) which may sound lame but it is important and I make sure I do it and do it well. Also gives me the opportunity to see how the team works and where I will be fitting in in the future. I have found that the team really appreciates it after being at an MVC for 2 hours in 100% humidity and 98 deg temps and you come around with water bottles and gatoraid!

No job is too small and there is always something to learn.
Great attiude man I love that Im gona send you a friend request so if you have any questions just ask.
One thing everyone should do is practice whatever in your fire gloves. Practice everything like you'll be doing it in an untenable situation.
I am just about to finish my vollie basic training and my perception of learning order would be:

1. donning gear - If you are not dressed correctly you shouldn't be on scene.
2. setting a hydrant - lowest on totem pole gets to do the running around.
3. the engine - you must know where everything is kept, same as above reason.
4. SCBA - If we are lucky enough to get involved in a fire in our first few months, knowing how to use this is pretty useful.
5. Packing everything back up, this will be the probies job.
6. Then start really learning and practicing all the cool/fun stuff.

If I hear NIMS again I am going to scream. 1 hour of SCBA class and then 3 hours plus of NIMS, that doesn't seem to balance with me. Especially when 90% of NIMS wouldn't have anything to do with a regular FF.

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