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| By Alan J. Brackett |
| The scene looked realistic to the passerby, and it felt pretty real to firefighters who took part in the drill held in Douglas. |
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| By Alan J. Brackett |
| Uxbridge firefighter and Instructor Joe Nedder (l) gives final instructions to a hose crew before they enter the dwelling. |
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| By Alan J. Brackett |
| Firefighters enter the heavily charged first floor. |
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| By Alan J. Brackett |
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| By Alan J. Brackett |
| The RIT team successfully found and removed the lost firefighter from the basement of the two story dwelling. |
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DOUGLAS, MA - Members from many local Central Massachusetts fire departments got the chance to train this month under ‘semi-real’ conditions in a house that was acquired by Douglas Fire Chief Donald Gonynor specifically for training purposes before the house is demolished.
The house that is located at 80 Pine Street in Douglas, is scheduled to be razed sometime before the end of the year. The two-story single family dwelling has an unusual room layout and is perfect for training the area’s newest firefighters right alongside seasoned veterans.
Kent Vinson, Lieutenant of the Douglas FD, and Joe Nedder of the Uxbridge FD recently organized a search and rescue drill in the dwelling. The pair used smoke generators properly smoke up the interior of the building until the smoke was “pushin’ out the eaves” and the chimney. Many who passed by the property slowed to rubber-neck at the operating fire departments.
Newer firefighters were paired up with more seasoned firefighters as jakes worked on getting “back to basics”, searching the basement and first floor of the dwelling on the first evolution. Every evolution that was run on this particular night included the advancement of an inch and three quarter handline in support of the search.
During the first few evolutions, thermal imaging cameras were not allowed into the building, as instructors were attempting to teach all firefighters the need to get back to basics. In the final drill, two crews were deployed in to the dwelling and a simulated flashover occurred. In a hasty retreat, one member of a hose crew got separated from his line and he became lost in the basement. The RIT was activated and had to search and rescue their brother from the basement. It wasn’t pretty, but they got him out!
These firefighters in Central Massachusetts have been training for months, with heavy emphasis on RIT combat skills, and it still amazed all who took part in the rescue just how difficult it is to access and remove a trapped, disoriented, or injured firefighter.
All in all, it was a great night of training with a few more nights of scheduled training to go before the house is demolished. Fire department members from the Towns of Douglas, Uxbridge, Northbridge, Dudley, and the Webster Rescue Squad participated in the drill.
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