Everyone knows that being a firefighter can be dangerous, but if you ask any firefighter, they will tell you that even though you can’t eliminate all danger on emergency calls, proper training can help reduce the number of accidents.
In November, the Hinesville Fire Department conducted emergency bailout training. Bailout drills are, in essence, firefighter survival training. A firefighter uses a bailout in case of a catastrophic event and there is no other way out of a building.
Bailout drills were created after research conducted by the National Institution for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on firefighter fatalities in buildings, specifically when a firefighter was unable to escape once his/her entry point was blocked.
On Nov. 10, the HFD personnel had training with Capt. Kristian Johanson, a training officer. The techniques taught were the ladder bailout, hose bailout and rope bailout.
The ladder bailout is when a firefighter goes head-first down a ladder to safety. The hose bailout is when a firefighter locks his/her legs around a hose line, then slides down it as if going down a fire pole.
A rope bailout is when a firefighter uses a rope to rappel down a structure.
The ladder bailout drill was conducted from a 12-foot landing, while the hose and rope bailout drills were conducted from a 25-foot landing.
“I thought the training was excellent,” said Lt. Chris Moss of the HFD. “It is something we all need to know how to do, and it helped us build up our confidence.”
In November, the Hinesville Fire Department conducted emergency bailout training. Bailout drills are, in essence, firefighter survival training. A firefighter uses a bailout in case of a catastrophic event and there is no other way out of a building.
Bailout drills were created after research conducted by the National Institution for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on firefighter fatalities in buildings, specifically when a firefighter was unable to escape once his/her entry point was blocked.
On Nov. 10, the HFD personnel had training with Capt. Kristian Johanson, a training officer. The techniques taught were the ladder bailout, hose bailout and rope bailout.
The ladder bailout is when a firefighter goes head-first down a ladder to safety. The hose bailout is when a firefighter locks his/her legs around a hose line, then slides down it as if going down a fire pole.
A rope bailout is when a firefighter uses a rope to rappel down a structure.
The ladder bailout drill was conducted from a 12-foot landing, while the hose and rope bailout drills were conducted from a 25-foot landing.
“I thought the training was excellent,” said Lt. Chris Moss of the HFD. “It is something we all need to know how to do, and it helped us build up our confidence.”