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Permalink Reply by Doug on October 20, 2009 at 5:40pm

Teach them to not use the pistol grip, if you have any on your nozzles, to only use it for dragging the hose. Make them get the hose out in front of them, place the bale/handle, just under an arms length out in front. It gives you more leverage and play in the hose, which is essential in interior firefighting.

Teach them how to kink a 1 3/4 line without using a hose clamp, to extend a line in a hurry.

Teach them the Z and Circle patterns, and to make those patterns over and over again very quickly.

Teach them how to pencil the ceiling. How to extinguish a fire without ruining the thermal barrier, and creating a heck of a lot of steam.

Teach them how to follow the female coupling out of a building in a hurry if the excrement hits the oscillating device.

I'm sure there's plenty more to teach them, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head right now.

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Permalink Reply by Corey Scheel on October 20, 2009 at 6:04pm

Thanks for the ideas. I appreciate it and be safe.

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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on October 20, 2009 at 6:07pm

One thing we do occasionally is a hose drill/relay. Position two engines about 300 feet apart and then set out three lengths of hose uncoupled with a nozzle from each engine (you can add to the lengths as needed). Separate your people into groups of 3 or 4. So you will have two groups apposing each other on the lines set out. When the sign is given they will couple the lines together and after all the members are at the nozzle signal for the line to be charged. The first group to couple their hose and be at the nozzle gets water and ultimately gets the other group wet. A cone or some sort of target works as well.So the teams will couple hose from the side of the engine to the nozzle and working together as a team. There are many variations on this theme. Have fun.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on October 20, 2009 at 6:27pm

Great idea, and a way to have fun doing it.

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Permalink Reply by Corey Scheel on October 20, 2009 at 7:50pm

Thanks for the ideas. I just started taking over doing training and I just need good ideas cuz I dont really have that much time to think of some. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on October 20, 2009 at 8:05pm

A drill we did a few times when I was an intern is to have a few people on a 2 1/2" (or 1 3/4 if you want) place 3 cones 50 feet apart and 50 feet from the pumper. The crew starts out flowing water and you walk to the first cone (50 ft), then on your knees to the next cone (50ft), then on your belly for the next 50, you then knock down another cone/target.

You get an appreciation of hose handling and control and teamwork to advance a line. It is pretty tough especially the crawl portion and the second person may find it easier to go on their back to get a better traction to advance the line.

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Permalink Reply by Corey Scheel on October 20, 2009 at 9:16pm

That sounds like a real good drill. I might do that one for our training night. Thanks for the ideas. Pretty good evolution.

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