If you have been anywhere near 421 West Trinity place, you may have noticed a lot of activity recently.
Because of the nature of firefighting, training can be messy, destructive and sometimes dangerous- not exactly the type of thing that most people would invite into their house. Thankfully, the Decatur Housing Authority understands the need for realistic training and the difficulty of finding a venue. When buildings are scheduled for destruction, they are sometimes donated for this purpose.
Some of the skills that were honed at this location included forcible entry, breaching walls, vertical and horizontal ventilation, hoseline operations and structural fire control tactics. Utilizing an actual building provides firefighters with a scenario that is as close to an emergency scene as possible, which gives them insight and muscle memory that can help them to save lives when they face that 3 a.m. structure fire, or save their own lives if things go from bad to worse. Click here to see a brief video of firefighter Michael Soto extending a hoseline to the second floor of a fire attack scenario.
Firefighter Justin Sardine expressed his thoughts about why training is so important to the personnel of the City of Decatur Fire and Rescue with just a few words…”You don’t get a second try in most emergency situations. Quality has to be our most important product.”
Click on this link if you would like to know more about the Acquired Structure Program.
