ADAMS, New York (WWNY) – An intense fire training is on the go.
25 firefighters and 6 instructors from fire stations across the North Country geared up and faced flames in a controlled environment at the Adams Fire Department.
The goal is to observe changes in fire behavior.
“It allows the student the unusual opportunity to see the effects of firefighting tactics and decision making from the inside, how the fire growth changes, how the thermodynamics change and how the smoke layers change,” said Joe Difabio, Instructor with the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs.
These changes occur at a fire scene when doors or windows are opened.
One of the exercises is VES, or Vent Enter Search.
First, the firefighter knocks down a window and climb through to search for victims.
Something else that is key, communication.
“It’s zero visibility, so you have to do everything feeling around, you have communicate. Where is your partner at all times? Where you are moving? What you are seeing in front of you?” said Rob Simpson, 2nd Assistant Chief of the Adams Fire Department.
The Adams Fire Department hosted this New York State hands on training.
For some in their department, like Robbie Simpson, it’s a great way to pick up on new strategies.
“You can’t just go through the old school ways of showing up on a call and taking every window out of place for ventilation, this shows you want to do it more strategically,” said Simpson.
Inside, a thermal image shows it can get as hot as 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.
“It got warm in there, really warm,” said Simpson.
An intense training exercise that is helping to make sure local firefighters are prepared to face any blaze that comes their way.
Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.
