DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (Monday, Sept. 8) — Four members of the New Hope Eagle Volunteer Fire Company spent the weekend completing the Engine Company Operations course at the Bucks County Public Safety Training Center.

The 16-hour program combined classroom instruction with extensive hands-on training. After a morning classroom session Saturday, firefighters practiced stretching preconnect handlines and operating hydrants despite heavy rain in the afternoon.

Sunday’s training emphasized advancing handlines up ladders, flowing water from ground ladders, extending hose lines through multiple floors and handling 2.5-inch handlines. Crews also trained on portable attack monitors, long hose stretches, standpipe operations and using Quint 46’s aerial device as a “flying standpipe.”

Firefighters pulled, charged, drained and repacked hose throughout the exercises. They also demonstrated use of a Bresnan distributor nozzle carried on Quint 46 for confined-space fires.

Those completing the course were Firefighter Matt Kritz, Firefighter James Breuer, Battalion Chief Dave Gallagher and Chief Gary Breuer.