training

[corocfs]

anyone got some good ideas (and i mean interesting, fun) for training exercises that arent gonna cost us a packet for a car to cut up/destroy, or require us to set fire to the station?

[MCFSFF]

We have had a series of good trainings not sure if its what you are after but they have been well excepted in our brigade members in no order

(1)Hose drills as a result of Mt Osmond fire!
left for life and protecting your mates

Run out four hoses from each truck and cones set out at 30m+ from truck ... running officer called out advance, left for life, down , up powercone, jet, retreat and turned off one or more lines!

Then sent to use stand pipes and return ASAP... on way told officers to call a burn over drill!

(2) Improvise drills
First part in station handed out a series of drills where things failed.. i.e. water / pump in a fire... that was almost out what could you use to finish job.... MVA hydraulic pump down or rescue vehicle not available (this one happen to us next day... do do do, but luckily no entrapments)
Then went out and did a few drills.... mainly a paper discussion training though!

(3) watched 911 DVD and discussed what happen i.e. chain of command and stuff like that!

(4) Set out cones in shape of house and went through a few drills with people trapped what needed, sitreps, crew jobs etc.

(5) drafting with portable dam and on the run drills with that...

All can be made interesting but all are great to do as we have put a few if not all of then to task in real incidents and to have them as second nature sure makes life easy... also remember to swap crews around don't let same person run pump etc!!

Don't know there was some others but they needed props.
Hope it helps or gives you and idea of something else.

[corocfs]

funny how things you do in training someitmes happen the very next day isnt it?
not too long ago, we had a training night where we talked about new group SOPs for strike teams, and then did a grassfire drill (ran nout our first 100m hose reel, then connected the 2nd 100m reel 9over the top of the truck, then added about another 100m layflat.
the next day we did a strike team to hallet cove, ran out one hose reel, added the second one then a layflat, also that was the first time our new "lightweight" HP line got tested operationally.

pretty good stuff, a lot lighter than the old rubber HP lines, i think it will be less durable though.