Here’s a great example of a fire hall that gives a realistic training session at their facility to build knowledge and promote confidence. Steinbach’s Fire Hall in Canada built an addition in their basement to teach firefighters how to work in confined spaces…and they are using it significantly!
Deputy Fire Chief, Don Smith says, “There are several rescue scenarios that this setup allows our firefighters to simulate and experience. All the scenarios are conducted in pitch-blackness with smoke screens inserted into the masks of the firefighters, creating a more realistic burn situation. Firefighters who have run the course have only said great things about the experience.”
The article explains that the course simulates various scenarios: entanglement situation, wall breaches, and has a sound system that pipes in breaking glass, popping sounds, white noise. At times, firefighters must even remove their breathing apparatus temporarily to escape through narrow spaces.
Valuable lessons are learned from the confined space training course such as: air conservation, familiarizing yourself with your surroundings on all sides, and improved communication between firefighters when responding to a fire call or performing a rescue.
Submitted by: Donna Kolody/Emedco– your One Stop Source for Confined Space Products.
