Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris C. on February 17, 2010 at 6:08pm

Here is one that I just fond on you tube

Firefighter Rescue and Survival Training Prop......Window Prop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRDsPN5Vwrg


Here is one I made with my Dad......Wire Prop

One prop we use is very simple to make, you will need 4 sheets of 1/4 inch plywood or usb. You will need about 16- 2x4's 8ft long. First make the end frames 48" wide. place standard framing at 16" . on one end you will cut a opening of 18" in the center. mount the 2x4flat on the inside edge of two of the plywood sheets to the flat against the top bottom and sides. Also apply short peices at least two in the middle of the boards for support. These now can be bolted to the end pieces to form a 3ft tall by 4 ft wide by 8ft long box, Next take hings we found that gate type hinges work the best. mount the hinges to the last piece of plywoodthis makes the top of the box place eye hooks in the top piece of ply wood at verious intervals and as many as you want, tothese eye hooks we attatch wires phone wire is the easiest to get but is you have an in at Home Depot they will sell or some times donate short pieces of wire left on rolls after sales. You can even use pieces of left over 2x4s to weight the wire down to catch on the firefighters SCBA. also talk to them about damaged sheet rock.

To use this prop make a trak at the opening, cut plasterboard to 20" slide this into the track over the opening have your f/f crawl to box and find the opening by following a hose piece or a rope. The f/f will then be instructed to breach the opening with his tool. Make a low profile entry into the box or use the swimmers technique, you may even op to remove your SCBA and put it back on once inside. next crawl forward till you bump your head against the rear wall of the box, Now close the lid and tell the firefighter he has been in a collapse and he must back out. now he will get entangled inthe wires and have to free himself. You can add old tires and wood board inside to crawl over for the collapse and pre position a maximum of two other f/f in the box, you are only limited by your imagination.

The reson we put the box together with lag bolts was so it can be taken apart and transported to other stations in my Ford Ranger, I hope this helps, if you have any questions just wriite back and I will try to help.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on February 19, 2010 at 1:44pm

Whenever you conduct some form of black out drill a good and simple addition to the course is to take a length of rope and connect it to an immovable object. (6-8 feet ) Have the free end attached to a c clip,similar to one on a dog lease only bigger. As the f/f crawls by one of the instructors clips this end to the frame of the scba without the f/f's knowledge. When he runs out of ability to crawl forward announce that he is hung up and to take proper actions. SEE IF HE CALLS A MAYDAY,DOES HE HAVE PLIERS TO CUT HIS WAY FREE,DOES HE ADVISE HIS PARTNER OF DIFFICULTIES etc.
At the end of these drills don't allow them to see the maze and put them in a separate area to draw what their concept of the maze was . The results are often surprising and reveal how hard it can be to understand your environment in zero visibility.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Doug on February 19, 2010 at 1:50pm

Right, even the simplest layout can seem, and be, very difficult when you're blacked-out and have a few obstacles thrown in there.

Instead of the C-clip, we just make a simple lasso to throw over the firefighter or around part of his gear.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion