Looking For Some Training Ideas

small town vol dept looking for some ideas for training 27 members with 7 that FF I trained and 5 EMT -B s and 2 EMT-P's looking something that will get everyone from age 21-65 invovled run aprox 100 calls a year combined ems and fire . thank you in advance for your ideas

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Permalink Reply by Erik Wood on February 9, 2011 at 7:50pm

Something else to consider is utilizing state wide training....my state (Kansas) has two organizations that provide high quality fire training free of charge to local fire departments. This incluse live fire, extrication, certification classes...the works.

These were designed for the small town departments. I would look into it.

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Permalink Reply by August Martin on March 4, 2011 at 10:32am

Simulated training is the way to go!! Visit www.firetrucktestinglc.com This unit can test as per NFPA1932, simulate pump operations, can actually effect pump relay, and set up for drafting using transfer devices. Simulate hand line operations and even simulate masterstream operations.
It gives a continious flow at operational pressures, focus on the pump operators training and assure safety during the operation.( No nozzleman required to secure lines.)

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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on March 4, 2011 at 11:51am

just a couple weeks ago we ran a medic assist scenario. We had our practice dummy upstairs sitting on a toilet and paged out for a possible full arrest. We sent two in as being first on scene in their personal vehicles as they were nearby.

They had to treat it as if it was real and do an assessment and we timed everything to make sure CPR was started quickly. Everything being done in real time they had to be there by themselves performing CPR and whatever other assessments they could do with a distraught wife hovering over them.

After about 5-6 minutes we had our rescue squad show up with 2-4 more people and equipment. They would then have to hook up the d-fib and go through the motions. A minute or two after that a paramedic unit would arrive and begin ALS.

The entire scenario ended when they had the patient packaged and brought downstairs ready to load into the ambulance.

This exercise taught some very valuable lessons. Since everything was timed some were very surprised how long it actually took them to determine that the patient wasn't breathing and CPR needed to be done. It also stressed cooperation as you have multiple people hovering over the patient in a tight spot. One thing we try to stress to those that are not involved in direct patient care is to survey the house and plan the exit route. Move furniture if needed, shovel snow, chip ice . . . whatever needs to be done to facilitate taking the patient out quickly and safely.

Each run through lasted about 15-20 minutes and we alternated who was first on scene. We had a couple teams that were comprised of relatively new or inexperienced guys to see how they would handle the stress without having someone else to turn to for advice or direction. I was happy to see that for the most part everyone rose to the challenge.

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Permalink Reply by Herb Blanton on March 4, 2011 at 10:23pm

Incident Command System (ICS)
we have done this at station and at training center. use radios on an ops channel have someone who has never run command call the shots. have experienced people on the other end be the units, engine co, ladder co, rescue co , ems , ect. make it as big or as small as you want. if you have one that thinks it's easy, throw in a mayday and see what happens.
Good Luck
Stay Low Stay Safe

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Permalink Reply by Vic Silverfish on March 5, 2011 at 3:46am

Let's not overthink. For the small number of calls you run, you want to make sure you spend the time getting good at the basics.

- layout and pull an attack line - select a spot that requires you to flake the hose correctly
- take some stuff apart with the entry tools
- search drills
- vent drills (I love the balloon idea)
- relay pumping
- ladder work
- vehicle extrication

You get the idea. All basics, all stuff you probably don't do very often in anger, but want to be good at. I would argue that it's harder being part of a small-town station that doesn't run very much, because you don't get a chance to develop the experience that city guys do, so you need to make each drill count.

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Permalink Reply by James Burton (Jamie) on March 5, 2011 at 1:25pm

I am my Departments Training Lieutenant, and since I have been doing the job, about a year, I have found so many training oppertunities out there, and a lot of them are free. I read it in the other posts but speak to your local towing company and get a free car to cut up. Call the local Air Care, them guys are always wanting to teach FF's about Heli Safety and LZ stuff, and some of your guys may even get a ride, my guys loved this drill last year and it was free, cool baseball hats included.

Go online and check out Denver Drill, or Chimney Fire Drill, cheap ways to get your guys doing some good hands on Firefighting stuff.

Most Wildland Firefighter Operations are usually very good about coming out and talking to Local Structure FD's, its good for them to train the guys they may have to mutual aid some time.

And then there are all the grants available to pay for other training opertunities.. Its out there so see if you can get some. A grant paid for every member of our Department and trained them to FF2.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Callahan on April 3, 2011 at 6:29pm

Step 1 Define your Departments Everyday Bread n' Butter skills.

Train on them often. These should be the meat and potatoes of your training schedule. Include fire attack water supply and command drills that you perform as a basic part of your operations. Do these often!

Step 2 Define the skills that you may perform but are not everyday skills.

These skills may involve buildings you don't run to often but are in your district and will require some variations on your basic skill set. They may involve buildings found in your most likely mutual aid districts. Define the variations and train on them. This should be 25% of your training schedule.

Step 3 Define the skills that you may need to perform but are not high likelihood or high frequency.

These are the skills that you may need to perform in an unusual situation. In many departments, the training tends to concentrate on theses because they are low frequency events. In all reality, that's the opposite thinking. Define these skills and train on them now and then but these should not constitute the bulk of your training. Your basic everyday skills should be the bulk of your training in departments that do not see much in the way of run volume as they are the skills that you NEED.

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Permalink Reply by Leland Lavender on April 10, 2011 at 4:57pm

I was reading some of these ideas here and most have really good advice/ideas but the best would be going back to the very basics. How do we do that?

Now, I'm like most, because the academy fried my attention span, I enjoy the training that keeps my interest. With that being said it's TRUE discipline in our profession that will really make you elite.

Start with your Basic firefighters text, if yours is a little dated then find someone who has a newer version and start with refreshing your memory, that doesn't mean read every friggin chapter 90 times.

Ugh who want's to read...

After reading do the hands on, one small step at a time, walk through it word for word, action for action for those auditory and visual learners.

Practice...
Then start moving for time
Practice...
Find your problem area's
Practice...
Everything will take time... Personally, I can't stand the time consumption, But i have the motivation to be elite like the most of us participating with your thread. Keep up that motivation as the people your training with will also have that motivation, your attitude and confidence will go a long way trust me.

Before you know it, training has become as easy as breathing and you won't mind (or notice)the time consumption anymore, and that discipline will push you to go beyond even the basics.

I have many, many training idea's and will be more than glad to help you out beyond what I've written here. I've posted some threads and have written a few training programs for my department. Just write me a message, good luck to you and may your organization grow.

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Permalink Reply by Jesse Quinalty on August 10, 2011 at 2:02am

I saw some posts about table top simulators. Here are some examples from my company.

Jesse
Red Helmet Training

Attachments:

IMG_2841.JPG, 4.2 MB
DSC01309.JPG, 4.3 MB
DSC01275.JPG, 4.3 MB

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Permalink Reply by B HICKS on August 10, 2011 at 7:30pm

LSU fire and emergency training institute- virtual trading post has a lot of downloadable lesson plans, powerpoints. Use your State's FF training ciriculum. If your state is like Ohio, we now have continuing education hours/topics that must be taught yearly, for both EMS and Fire. Never forget to cover the "basics". The vast majority of FF fatalities come back on the "basics" of our job. Communications. Properly wearing your PPE. Wearing your seatbelt. Driving safely in all vehicles (yours and the dept's). Conducting a complete scene size up. Knowing your equipment. Calling a Mayday. Situational awareness. Breathing air management. Personnel accountability. Fireground management.
Other options: Area/building famiuliarization. SCBA overview/troubleshooting. Cross train EMS crews to pull hoselines/change SCBA bottles. Fire crews- cot operations, backboarding,c-spine control, stairchair operations....
You tube has alot of "good" and "bad" videos. Use them "wisely".