MCBCC | Fire Rescue

Home

Administration

Budget

> Home > Departments > Department A-Z > Fire Rescue > Support Services > Training

Training

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.

2007-2008 Fiscal Year

63,657 Training hours logged*
3,968 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 does not include the two hours of additional training required at the stations every day.

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.

Equipping the Leaders of Tomorrow

The Support Services Division under the direction of Division Chief Bart Walker developed an extensive six to seven week orientation process to ensure that new firefighters are prepared for what they may experience in the field. At the end of this orientation, the firefighters take an oath of appointment, promising to dedicate their best efforts to saving lives and protecting property.

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.