California Officials Receive First-Hand Firefighting Experience

ANNE MARIE FULLER
Contra Costa Times

Tracy city officials got to experience what it's like to be a firefighter on Saturday during Fire Ops 101, a daylong event sponsored by the Tracy Firefighters Association in coordination with the Tracy Fire Department. The scene of the exercises was the abandoned Heinz warehouse on 11th Street in Tracy.

"We invited the city's officials and policy makers to go through this so they can experience and understand what we go through," said Tracy Fire Engineer Paul O'Neal, the event's coordinator. "When we ask for things such as additional staffing or more equipment, they will understand why we need it."

Activities officially started at 8 a.m., with participants breaking into four teams and suiting up in full turnout gear. I was assigned to the blue team, which consisted of Tracy Mayor Brent Ives, Councilman Steve Abercrombie, California Highway Patrol Officer Robert Rickman, and local home inspector and crime scene cleaner Larry Hite. The team's wranglers were Tracy Fire Capt. Tad Neave and Capt. Scott Arganbright.

"This is very helpful for me to know just what our fire service people go through," Ives said. "It's important for the decision makers to be here and understand what really goes on."

The first exercise of the day was vehicle extrication, using rescue equipment to free two victims pinned in a car. The exercise took approximately 40 minutes to complete, and included removing both of the vehicle's front doors and the roof.

"Doing this exercise showed me how strenuous the job can be," Rickman said. "As an officer, I've seen the firefighters perform this hundreds of times, but this is the first time I actually got to use the tools and do the work. This has given me more empathy about what they do."

In addition to vehicle extraction, activities included CPR and first-aid simulation, truck operations (an exercise using an engine's ladder to climb up several stories), using a chain saw to cut a hole in the roof to allow ventilation, going through a maze and entering a burning container unit.

"I think this was an excellent opportunity for me to experience the other side of public safety," said Abercrombie, who formerly was a sworn officer with the Hayward Police Department. "I have worked hand in hand with the firefighters, but haven't known all the aspects of the fire service. This was an excellent opportunity for us here today."

"This was a true eye-opener," Hite added. "Going through the maze was tough, especially when you can't see where you're going. I started to wonder: If this structure was on fire, would I be able to get out in time?"

As the final exercise was commencing, I found it ironic that a call went out for a paramedic unit to be dispatched to an overturned vehicle accident that had just occurred near northbound Interstate 5 at 205. The day's lessons had come full circle as the real distress call came over the radio.