This week, for our weekly training, our firefighters took part in a “skills enhancement” competition designed to work on combined firefighting skills and building esprit de corps.

Firefighters competed against each other in groups of two to see who could get the fastest time. The course started with members in full turnout gear and SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and they had to pull 200 feet of hoseline and then charge it with water and advance it, simulating a fire attack. Once that objective was completed, the members would don their SCBA facepieces and head inside and have to pass a knot station. This was especially difficult trying to perform in low light conditions, while wearing gloves and SCBA masks. Members then performed a maneuver to simulate providing rescue air to one of their fellow firefighters and connected into their “Buddy Breathing” line and would share the same SCBA air. They would then take turns dragging each other for approximately 100 feet each.

The two teams with the fastest times then competed in a head to head faceoff in which they then had to “throw” an extension ladder to the roof of the building and then advance a charged 200 foot hoseline into the building to its full length. At the back of the building, there was one of their fellow firefighters waiting to be rescued and drug back 200 feet to the building entrance.

The firefighters performed in an exemplary manner and achieved average time of around 4 minutes for all of these tasks. This drill was another great example of teamwork and the dedication of our volunteers and Career Staff.