International Fire Relief Mission (IFRM) team members completed equipment distribution and training in the Republic of Georgia earlier this week. IFRM delivered a 40-foot sea container packed filled with firefighting and EMS equipment, all donated by U.S. fire departments, to several Republic of Georgia fire departments.

The city of Mtskheta is about 12 miles north of the country’s capital Tblisi. It has 10,000 residents protected by the city’s one fire station. That fire station was partially destroyed, as was much of its equipment, in 2008 during a conflict with Russia over disputed territories. The conflict also added thousands of refugees from those areas to the Mtskheta fire department’s coverage responsibility. Although the fire station was rebuilt, what equipment there was was not replenished — until now.

In addition to the gear, IFRM team members spent days training the Mtskheta firefighters on such things as how the PPE works, how to correctly wear it, and how to care for it. They received similarly detailed instruction on the SCBA.

In addition to teaching the firefighters about their new gear, IFRM also held train-the-trainer sessions with the department’s officers. They were instructed on how to conduct “go drills” to teach the firefighters to quickly and properly don their PPE, how to turn the sea container into a live-burn room, and how to build mazes to teach firefighters to work in their PPE.

Those interested in contributing equipment, services or capital to the IFRM can visit www.ifrm2007.com or contact Ron Gruening at rgreuning@ifrm2007.com.