There are a variety of different training methods around, including some interesting non-standard ideas that can prove effective. Here are a few ideas from around the firehouse:
- Throw the biggest ladder on your apparatus every day. The better you are with the larger ladders, the more practiced you will be with all of them.
- When on fire alarms, stretch a dry line in to the structure to the seat of the “fire.” Recon to ensure you know where the “fire” started. Make sure to minimize your damage of course, but this drill is great for deploying practice, teamwork and estimating your hose stretch distances.
- Use the numerous video resources on the Internet to find clips of fires and then perform a size-up report and initial strategy and tactics. A wide range of clips can be found regularly on Firerescue1 and FlashoverTV, which has hundreds of from-the-scene clips.
- When involved with multiple agencies at large events such as county fairs, practice unified command during fireworks displays, etc. Tie together the law enforcement, county agencies and on-site management to work on a drill based on the possible scenarios that exist.
- Hold surprise blind cabinet inventories. Everyone should know everything in the cabinet before opening the door. Try to stump the crews with the less used pieces of equipment.
- Each crew member is assigned a department SOP each month. Generate five questions from that SOP and if you stump your crew, you get rewarded! (Free lunch, ice cream, etc.)
This is just the tip of the ice berg. For more ways to bring new ideas to your training routine, check out FR1 Columnist Michael Lee’s 12 great new ways to train.