Recruit-level training

For each type of drill, whether recruit or in service, there should be an evaluation of risk versus benefit. For example, if the drill's intent is to expose recruit firefighters to the elements of heat and smoke, then do so in a series of increasingly intense elements.

A recruit's first exposure to an interior fire should involve light smoke and very little heat. This allows the recruit to focus on fundamental skills such as hose advancement, orientation and company integrity in an environment that's not entirely “clear.” Repeat the exercise with the same crew several times, while decreasing the visibility and increasing the level of heat. This progression of difficulty will help maintain an acceptable level of risk versus benefit for the training evolution. Students should work in all of the various hose team positions to help build confidence in their ability to function in a rapidly changing environment.

To move to the next level, add a crew to serve as a backup line protecting the means of egress for those inside. This second crew may be just outside the fire room or at the bottom of the stairs in the case of a fire located on the second floor. The instruction should be focused on the purpose, value and importance of the backup line, with an emphasis on communications between hose teams. Each member on the hose line should be well-versed on the responsibilities and actions of the various team member positions. This is an essential fireground function that should be second nature for all firefighters and fire officers.

In buildings designed and constructed for live-fire training, it's reasonable to demonstrate fire extension by igniting a fire on the second floor of the building. This should be done only after the fire on the first floor has been extinguished and a backup line is in place at the bottom of the stairs. Crews then can move upstairs to extinguish the second fire. Because the concept of a backup line was introduced in previous scenarios, by adding an actual second fire, students are able to experience the importance of the backup hose line.

Increased smoke and heat aren't the only options for more effective training evolutions. The goal should be to make the objectives more challenging without increasing the risk from a larger fire. For example, mannequins can be placed in the structure as trapped victims to add the task of search and rescue to the scenario.

As student firefighters develop confidence through repetition in their ability to function effectively and safely in a fire, consider adding the objective of air management to the evolution by increasing the distance or time that it takes to reach the fire room. The greater the difficulty in advancing the h…ose line, the greater the consumption of air, which will draw attention to the importance of monitoring air supplies and gauging levels of activity within a structure fire. This exercise helps the recruit firefighter to learn when it is time to leave the structure. In other words, when it's time to go, it's time to go.