From Knots to Tight-Squeeze Wall Passes: Inside West Carthage’s Rigorous Fireground Drills

West Carthage, NY - Volunteer firefighters from the West Carthage Fire Department spent Sunday morning immersing themselves in essential fireground fundamentals and emergency survival techniques during an intensive departmental training session in Jefferson County.

On September 27, 2026, members assembled for a comprehensive refresher program designed both to reinforce seasoned veterans' muscle memory and provide vital hands-on mentorship for the department's newest recruits. The training, led by Chief Crump and Assistant Chief Paquette, placed heavy emphasis on operational fluency under zero-visibility or high-stress structural fire conditions.

Crews ran practical evolutions covering rapid donning and doffing of structural turnout gear, full self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) operational procedures, emergency air management, and technical rope work—including knots, mechanical rigging, and tactical equipment hoisting.

Firefighters also tackled advanced interior survival drills, practicing the difficult technique of maneuvering through sixteen-inch on-center wall studs while wearing full protective equipment and SCBA harnesses.

The maneuver prepares interior search-and-rescue personnel to escape structural collapses or sudden fireground flashovers when standard exit pathways become blocked.