Published Monday, November 24, 2008

Firefighters' live burn training gives adrenaline rush

The Newnan Times-Herald

There's no training like "on the job" training for firefighters; but in between live calls, local firefighters engage in sophisticated simulations that closely resemble the real thing -- complete with sweltering gear, rapidly spreading fire, black smoke, and the adrenaline rush of answering a call to respond to a structure fire.

Using the Peachtree City Fire Department's burn building, just off Highway 74 South, firefighters from Palmetto and Chattahoochee Hills recently participated in live fire training to satisfy a portion of the annual fire training requirements mandated by the state.

Palmetto firefighters Sgt. Jim Bryant, Ashley Donehoo, Jonathan Owens , Tim Willey, Paul Seitz and David Ligon, under the leadership of Palmetto Fire Chief Henry Argo and Deputy Chief Mark Rogers, joined Chattahoochee Hills firefighters Lt. "Skin" Neal, Lt. Ronnie Lyle, Ed Cline and Warren Sides, under the supervision of Chattahoochee Hills Public Safety Director Larry Parrott, for three evolutions of live fire training per department.

"This is an excellent opportunity for our firefighters," said Parrott, "and we appreciate the Peachtree City Fire Department letting us use their facility.

Division Training Chief Cornelius Robinson, stationed at the Fairburn Fire Department, planned and executed the training for both groups.

Training groups from each department rotated through a morning or afternoon session so that each department could maintain fire coverage in their respective jurisdictions during the training maneuvers.

The team from Chattahoochee Hills brought along Tanker 51, and the Palmetto team brought in Engine 31. Each training cycle involved an interior victim search, a below grade fire, intended to simulate a basement fire, and an above grade fire requiring interior stair access. Between each evolution, firefighters entered the building to ignite new fires.

"A rapid intervention team (RIT) stands by in gear outside of the building during the active fire training to back up the attack team if they get into trouble on the inside," said Donehoo. Donehoo earned her fire certification for the Palmetto department this past summer.

Ironically, near the latter part of the first cycle, the RIT team got a call from the inside that was not part of the training scenario. Palmetto firefighter Sgt. Jim Bryant dislocated his knee during extrication and required assistance pulling his leg back into place in order to exit the structure. The fire had already been extinguished, but smoke was still thick within the structure. The "real life" scenario served to underscore the need for RIT teams to be on standby, even during training.