A firefighter with his visor intentionally obscured navigates his way through the Fire Ground Survival course. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Advanced training

New course prepares P.A. firefighters for Mayday situations

Dec 10, 2020 | 3:37 PM

Prince Albert firefighters were put through their paces on Thursday in an exercise designed to simulate a worst case scenario.

Inside an abandoned two-storey house, they have to squeeze through walls, cut themselves out of wire entanglements, and navigate obstacles like dummies and trick stairs — all with a blacked out visor.

Battalion Chief Darcy Rusk told paNOW the exercise is designed to prepare participants for when everything goes wrong – they’re lost, disoriented and alone inside a burning building. Thursday’s simulation is the culmination of a four-day course.

“We spend a lot of time training to make sure things go well when we go to a fire. This training is the opposite,” Rusk said. “When something goes bad this gives us the training and skills to have a good outcome if we have a Mayday situation.”

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The two-storey home on Sixth St. E. is scheduled for demolition, but the owner agreed to let the fire department use it for the exercise. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

Firefighters head into the building to start the simulation. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

Participants complete the course one at a time, starting on the second floor of the home which they’ve never been inside. Their masks are full of wax paper.

“They can see nothing, they’re totally blacked out in there,” Rusk explained, adding it’s normal that thick smoke completely obscures vision inside a burning structure.

Firefighters’ masks are completely obscured with wax paper. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

One of the first things they have to do is to find the hose, which they know is attached to the truck outside. Reading the couplings on the hose by touch, they’re able to determine if they’re indeed heading in the right direction and not going deeper into the burning building as they navigate their way along the line.

Firefighters can tell which way they’re going by reading the couplings on the hose, pictured here. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

It’s also essential that they relax and control their breathing.

“The slower you can breathe, the longer your air supply will last,” Rusk said. If your’re in good shape and can keep your breathing under control that gives you around 20 minutes, he explained.

The course involves many tight squeezes. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

Upon completion of the simulation and the four-day course, firefighters will receive their certificate in Fire Ground Survival.

“It’s kind of the last line of defence,” Rusk said. “If you’re in trouble it’s the skills you need to save yourself.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom