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Hey Old Timers
I am looking for training ideas from "back in the day". . I want to spend the next few months with my FD getting back to basics. We have had a year full of training but none of it has really been on fire. I think fire is still part of the job but I don't remember what it looks like or feels like anymore. What type of basic drills did you guys do when you started that you still remember. I'm asking this of the Vets you know who you are the guys that couldn't live without the 3/4 boots and long coat, the one without all the "toys" we have now. Any thought on hose dragging, ladders, pumping anything you got I will look into.
Michael
Michael
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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I have to say that we (the profession) have far better training today than we ever did "back in my day". Training consisted of - here's the hose, squirt the fire. The fires we did see back then were usually seen from the outside. Of course I'm speaking of rural America. I haven't seen any new ways of dragging hose in the almost 30 years in this business. It's still heavy and if you forget the "dutchman" pulls back - HARD. The biggest change in ladders was from wood to aluminum. We still carry and throw them pretty much the same way. Most of the stuff we did back then is a BIG no no by todays standards, so I won't mention getting dressed on the tailboard going down the road, (and yes we drilled on it). We did however stress the rules of the fire service. Preservation of life, Preservation of property, and finally Fire Suppression.
I'm proud to have the "toys" today that we have which we didn't then. I also realize fires are fun and gets your heart pumpin', but remember this, if you are seeing fire, somebody else is loosing something.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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Recently I've run a drill that we used to practice "back in the day" and we call it a quick-attack drill. We put a length of 1 3/4, with nozzle, over the top of a front crosslay and hook it to a pump outlet. Members are split into teams of two.
On command, the team opens the overhead door, starts the apparatus, activates the lights, fastens seatbelts, pulls out of the firehouse and stops, then puts the pump in gear. The member riding along in the rig jumps out, grabs the "crosslay" and stretches it across the parking lot while the operator charges the line and flows water. I time the evolution, from time of command to time of water flowing out the nozzle, and record the results.
The pump is shut down, the hose drained, reloaded and the rig backed into the house for the next team.
The first time I did this I stressed that it was NOT a competition, but geared toward practicing getting water out of the truck quickly. Guess what? Like the FFN point system, the competition began - good natured, but inevitible. Each team would observe the others, then huddle to decide who was going to do what when the rig stopped.
This drill covers a number of basics and is VERY well received each time we do it. The recoreded times show progress of each individual and even shows up some of the old dogs, particularly myself. I did everything right the first time I demonstrated this evolution... well almost - I forgot to put the pump in gear.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Farrar on
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Sounds like a fun and very easy drill that my guys could get into.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Most of the training when I was a nozzleman is now illegal, immoral, or fattening.
Are you sure that you want to take up THAT kind of training?
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I know most of what you may have done when you started is now outdated and maybe illegal but you also didn't count on a TIC to guide you through a search. I know of guys in my FD that have never done a seach drill without a TIC. Now I can set up a search & rescue drill where the TIC's batteries are dead thats easy. What other stuff did you guys do back then that we can still learn from and use today.
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Yes, it is. You can also expand it if you have a place where you can practice hydrant lays. The truck stops, FF gets off, pulls the supply hose and wraps the hydrant. Then the plug is gated, flushed, supply line connected, operator signaled, etc.
Pump proceeds 1-2 lengths, stops, then the mock preconnect is taken off. The pump does not run off its tank, rather waits for hydrant water to come.
We used to do this back in the day when we used 2 1/2 and 3 inch supply line. I haven't tried it with five inch yet.
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One of the best tricks is how to advance a charged 2.5-inch line by yourself. Flake the line out, and charge it. Then, instead of dragging the hose by yourself, make a loop and lay it on the ground. Then roll the loop toward the fire. It takes some practice and experimentation to make the loop the right size, but once you get it, you can move a charged line fairly quickly. You can advance the line about 20 feet or so per section, per loop if you do it right.
Be careful when you get near the nozzle, you want to stop before it gets rolled up into the loop so it doesn't flail around and hit you in the head. Once you get the nozzle to the base of the loop, you can go back toward the pump, make another loop, and repeat the process. When you get the line where you want it, roll the loop until the nozzle is at the base of the loop, grab the nozzle. You have a choice to either roll the loop back to the horizontal, sit on it, and open the nozzle, or you can unloop the line and flex the last 20 feet to aim the nozzle where you wish.
For the intermediate step in the multi-roll version of this process, you can stack two or three rolls near the nozzle, then roll them out one at a time to get to the nozzle, which will be at the bottom of the pile.
I've only done this at a fire a couple of times, along time ago, but if you have to move a charged 2.5 or even a 3-inch line while shorthanded, it's something that's nice to know.
For seeking your inner truckie, ever heard of a Detroit Door opener?
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Ladder Company Operations - Minimum Company Standards. Annual Practical Evolution
Objective: with a ladder company responding with crew of (4) rescue a civilian hanging from a 4th floor window.
Goal: To pull up and position the ladder on scene, set-up the aerial and put a firefighter (physically in contact) with the victim within 180 seconds using all safety measures.
Allow the company to attempt the evolution by themselves without guidance from the T.O. If they complete the drill, great - company success!
If not, then explain and rehearse the following sequence: (disclaimer: all aerial equipment is not the same, we have a single rear axle, single set of outriggers, quint) The following four positions all move on the trigger of the air brakes being set on arrival, everyone is seated, wearing their seat belts, and in full PPE/SCBA in place as responding to the scene.
1. The driver sets the brakes, engages all the cab controls for pump/aerial, exits the cab and places the wheel chocks, then heads for the upper turntable to await control of the aerial. Once on top, driver engages in morale support of "we will be right there - do not jump" 2. The officer, in full PPE/SCBA exits the truck and positions himself to the rear and begins to set the outriggers. 3. The two tail firefighters, exit the truck with full PPE/SCBA and position the ladder-jack plates as the CO is moving the outriggers out. They should be able to estimate with accuracy. This frees them to move onto securing a ladder belt and climbing up onto the turn table. 4. CO gets confirmation with proper hydraulic down pressure on the jacks and flips the power up to the driver on the turntable, then places jack pins. 5. The driver/operator has control up top and raises/moves the ladder to the victim's position. 6. CO can walk toward the victim for morale support and sight overall ladder positioning. 7. Position the ladder, the firefighters are just itching to climb.
In unison the entire operation from air brakes to victim contact can be done smoothly within 180 seconds without skipping a single saftey feature on our quint. Different aerials with different set-up procedures may take longer. Our other aerial, is a 110' Simon Duplex stick and I allow 220 seconds as target. Extra set of outriggers, jack pins and balancing the body/cab flex is critical to that specific unit.
This is just one of many drills I use on a daily basis...
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Permalink Reply by firechief911 on
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hey im not an old timer i dont think. but i agree our intro for the state no longer teaches firefighting you have to take ff1 or ff2 to get fire fighting we are all moduled now. i think there are at least 15 or more the vol almost never gets any book ways unless he gets into the module its all hands on and old timer ways hey i may be one geez
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One other point - don't raise the ladder to the victim from below. If the vic is panicky, he/she may jump for the aerial before you get a firefighter to the tip. Instead, raise the ladder slightly above or to the side of the victim's position, then lower it to the victim. That way, if the victim jumps for the ladder tip, the jump will not risk the victim jumping several feet down to the ladder tip and creating a big shock load.
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Permalink Reply by Joey "BigShow" De Piano on
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If you want to go back to basics open your Fire Fighter 1 book its pretty basic as you can get, some of our gear and equipment changed but just like 1910 and today you still pull the attack line off and pump water to put out the red stuff.
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Permalink Reply by Firedog on
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Its been so long since the days we used no SCBA and no bunker pants and hoods that I cannot remember what type of training we conducted? Seems like it only used to be put the wet stuff on the red stuff,and go home ready for the next one .Sorry I will fit in the old timer group.They say that those were the good old days well might have been but at least todays firefighters will live longer.use your PPE!!!!!!
stay safe.
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