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Some people may think that firefighters sit around all
day waiting for a fire to ignite. Perhaps they think firefighters play
cards or checkers to pass the time. Those misconceptions are often
tricky to overcome. MCFR firefighters provide 24-hour advanced life
support (ALS) emergency care to citizens and have the manpower and
equipment capabilities to respond to structure, brush and vehicle fires;
medical emergencies involving cardiac arrest, respiratory distress and
trauma; vehicle accidents requiring extrication; hazardous materials
incidents; technical rescues; natural disasters and many other
emergencies. All MCFR firefighters are also either emergency medical
technicians (EMTs) or paramedics, and many of them have specialized
training in technical rescue, hazardous materials, fire safety
inspection and more. So what do firefighters do when they're not
responding to emergencies? Train, train and train some more. MCFR
strives to provide all employees, rookies and veterans, extensive
training at least two hours everyday, giving them an opportunity to
learn new techniques and technology as well as refresh and sharpen
skills.
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2006-2007 Fiscal Year
- 44,805 Training hours logged*
- 2,400 Training
sessions provided*
*This includes the total number of training
hours and sessions provided at MCFR Headquarters, through
on-line classes and at other training facilities. But it does
not include the two hours of additional training required at the
stations every day.
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EMS Training
MCFR employs some of the best fire and EMS
instructors and training captains in the state who teach dozens
of classes to not only career firefighters but also volunteer
firefighters. Firefighters routinely take additional classes in
fire suppression, ventilation, search and rescue operations,
emergency vehicle operations, pumping, hydraulics, hose
operations, fire prevention, blueprint reading, fire codes and
standards, emergency medical services and many other training
classes.
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Grant Money Strengthens Firefighter Fitness and Safety
America faces an obesity epidemic. Unlike ever before, people, even
the very young, are suffering from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and
high cholesterol. Even firefighters known for their brute strength and
physicality are susceptible to these trends. In fact, research shows
that most firefighters die on and off duty because of health conditions
and not specific dangers associated with their profession. To combat
firefighter injury, sickness and even death as well as enhance longevity
of careers and quality of emergency services, MCFR received $116,345
from a "Fire Act" grant to develop and implement a firefighter fitness
program that incorporates specific exercise regimes and eating plans for
firefighters. This effort has significantly improved firefighter
flexibility, strength, endurance and cardiovascular health.
In January, 2007, MCFR received another federal grant for $239,680
from the United States Department of Homeland Security "Assistance to
Firefighters" grant program to purchase a mobile live-fire training
simulator. MCFR's matching share of the grant was $59,920.
 The
training simulator is a 53-foot propane-gas-powered steel trailer
equipped with thermal insulation, moveable walls and an internal
stairwell. It allows firefighters to practice fire suppression tactics
such as ventilation and search and rescue as well as identify dangerous
"flash over" conditions (when a room's temperature gets so hot that
everything in it ignites).
The simulator also enables firefighters to test new equipment such as
bunker gear, thermal imaging cameras and many other firefighting
essentials in a safer, more controlled and environmentally friendly
atmosphere.
Since 2001, MCFR has received more than $2.5 million in state and
federal grant funding.
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