Inside the Fire House
July 24, 2014
By Tom Forster
Local Firefighters Train With Real Fire
Two days of hands-on structural firefighting training were recently offered free of charge to 40 local firefighters. The Quincy Fire Protection District (QFD) hosted the event at their new burn facilities over a weekend. Participants came from Plumas and Lassen Counties, and costs were covered courtesy of a California State Firefighters Association grant provided through the United States Fire Administration.
QFD hand-built a low-cost burn training facility over the past two years, using two surplus shipping containers. The structures were attached and modified to allow for flexible interior fire scenarios and additional props on the outside. Chief Robbie Cassou and Maintenance Manager Charlie Read led the effort to construct the facilities, on a very low budget of several thousand dollars.
“This parallels our multi-story training structure that consists of three shipping containers stacked up and connected with an interior stairwell,” said Chief Cassou. “We had help from many QFD members, and were able to use the burn training grant deadline to complete it in time.”
The live burn prop consists of sections that simulate a bedroom, living room, bathroom, laundry, and kitchen areas, and includes both interior and exterior props to increase training options. The actual fire is from propane, which was provided at cost through manager Rod Powell at FerrellGas in Quincy. “We very much appreciate all of their help to support the training,” said Cassou.
Two 8-hour classes were offered, and students were required to bring their department issued protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus. Each day started out with some classroom training on fire suppression and safety, and then a tour of the burn building. Chief Cassou led a demonstration of a small fire starting in a simulated small living room built just for the class. In less than two minutes, the entire room had reached “flashover”, or the temperature at which everything ignites in a moment. “Structure fires are burning faster and hotter than ever before, and give off more toxic gases that firefighters need to be very careful with,” said Cassou.
This reality has recently been studied at the national level. The changes are due to the ever-increasing use of synthetic materials in homes and other structures. Many of the material are derivatives of petroleum-based products, and as such typically burn fast and hot. After splitting up into groups, the firefighters traded off going through roof ventilation training props with chainsaws and other tools, and then fighting fire inside the burn prop.
Safety was the highest priority, and there were no injuries during the sessions. Chief Ron Glantz of the Suisun Fire Protection District volunteered to help instruct and oversee the burn training, along with two of his officers. Glantz has certification as a Senior Fire Control Instructor in the State Fire Training system, and this was the start of leading a process to qualify more certified fire control instructors in Plumas County. Glantz also owns a vacation cabin in Chester.
“We really appreciate Ron’s great generosity, and look forward to working together to qualify more instructors locally,” said Cassou, “…this is a great example of the fire service community helping each other learn and become better firefighters.” Glantz and Cassou are planning some “train the trainer” courses over the next few years to allow each instructor to complete a state required task book.
The QFD Firefighter Support Team stood by to help the firefighters recover safely following each exercise, assisted by the Plumas District Hospital Ambulance and staff. “This training was monumental and amazing for me, since it was my first experience with live fire,” said Firefighter Tiffany Manchip of Graeagle FPD, “…to be with real fire inside a room is not within your nature normally… it was great, great, great training that will help me be prepared to better serve my community.”
July 24, 2014
By Tom Forster
Local Firefighters Train With Real Fire
Two days of hands-on structural firefighting training were recently offered free of charge to 40 local firefighters. The Quincy Fire Protection District (QFD) hosted the event at their new burn facilities over a weekend. Participants came from Plumas and Lassen Counties, and costs were covered courtesy of a California State Firefighters Association grant provided through the United States Fire Administration.
QFD hand-built a low-cost burn training facility over the past two years, using two surplus shipping containers. The structures were attached and modified to allow for flexible interior fire scenarios and additional props on the outside. Chief Robbie Cassou and Maintenance Manager Charlie Read led the effort to construct the facilities, on a very low budget of several thousand dollars.
“This parallels our multi-story training structure that consists of three shipping containers stacked up and connected with an interior stairwell,” said Chief Cassou. “We had help from many QFD members, and were able to use the burn training grant deadline to complete it in time.”
The live burn prop consists of sections that simulate a bedroom, living room, bathroom, laundry, and kitchen areas, and includes both interior and exterior props to increase training options. The actual fire is from propane, which was provided at cost through manager Rod Powell at FerrellGas in Quincy. “We very much appreciate all of their help to support the training,” said Cassou.
Two 8-hour classes were offered, and students were required to bring their department issued protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus. Each day started out with some classroom training on fire suppression and safety, and then a tour of the burn building. Chief Cassou led a demonstration of a small fire starting in a simulated small living room built just for the class. In less than two minutes, the entire room had reached “flashover”, or the temperature at which everything ignites in a moment. “Structure fires are burning faster and hotter than ever before, and give off more toxic gases that firefighters need to be very careful with,” said Cassou.
This reality has recently been studied at the national level. The changes are due to the ever-increasing use of synthetic materials in homes and other structures. Many of the material are derivatives of petroleum-based products, and as such typically burn fast and hot. After splitting up into groups, the firefighters traded off going through roof ventilation training props with chainsaws and other tools, and then fighting fire inside the burn prop.
Safety was the highest priority, and there were no injuries during the sessions. Chief Ron Glantz of the Suisun Fire Protection District volunteered to help instruct and oversee the burn training, along with two of his officers. Glantz has certification as a Senior Fire Control Instructor in the State Fire Training system, and this was the start of leading a process to qualify more certified fire control instructors in Plumas County. Glantz also owns a vacation cabin in Chester.
“We really appreciate Ron’s great generosity, and look forward to working together to qualify more instructors locally,” said Cassou, “…this is a great example of the fire service community helping each other learn and become better firefighters.” Glantz and Cassou are planning some “train the trainer” courses over the next few years to allow each instructor to complete a state required task book.
The QFD Firefighter Support Team stood by to help the firefighters recover safely following each exercise, assisted by the Plumas District Hospital Ambulance and staff. “This training was monumental and amazing for me, since it was my first experience with live fire,” said Firefighter Tiffany Manchip of Graeagle FPD, “…to be with real fire inside a room is not within your nature normally… it was great, great, great training that will help me be prepared to better serve my community.”