Online Firefighter I for Florida's Volunteers

Florida Public Safety is soon to roll out an online Firefighter I course that will aid many of Florida's volunteer fire departments by supplying a more flexible method of reaching training.

This is a hybrid online learning environment that will allow the student to invest in the theory portions of the training at times when their schedule allows. Hands-on portions of the Firefighter I curriculum will still be required, but the student or department will have the option of attending hands-on portions at the Florida State Fire College, or by having their own certified instructor perform and monitor those portions.

FloridaFireprograms on the Road

Our instructors travel to Darlington, South Carolina to instruct more
than 50 military personnel in various hazardous materials skills.

For more information on this event, or to find out how we can serve
your organization, email cdyer@floridafireprograms.com

Break Stuff

Class IV 2009 practices vehichle extrication today useing hydraulic
and hand tools.
Among the skills practiced were standard door removal, flapping a
roof, noah's ark, and basic cribbing.

National Guard Prepares for Hazardous Materials

Members of the National Guard have been training on potential
hazardous materials release scenarios this week at the Florida state
fire college. Members of the FL CERF-P are learning the basic steps
of mitigation and decontamination of civilians as well as responders.
In the photo, personnel practice the removal of loose/dry contaminates
using standard equipment such as vaccums, brushes and scizzors.

Cavalry arrives to save lunch...

The instructors and staff for FSFC / CTAE came to the aid of the
kitchen staff today when limited staffing caused some concern about
the pre-graduation luncheon.
With the helpful skills of Jeff, Matt, Sarah, Joshua and the food
consumption ensues!

Class III gets it's Bangor Time

The third class of Firefighter I & II students for the 2009 school
year are climbing that ladder of success quite literaly today.
Gaining confidence on the ladders, the students each made their way up
and down the 5 floors worth of ladder, pausing twice to demonstrate
leg locks (a technique for securing a firefighter to the ladder with
no hands or tools).
The drill came easy to some, and less so for others, but at the end of
the evolution, all students were able to complete the objective.

Pumps Galore

Another Apparatus Operations class is underway at the college this
week. Students pictured are supplying a handline through and Engine,
via a portable float pump (not pictured).

Today's Special: Liquid Fuel

The FF I & II class put their teamwork and nozzle control skills to work as they battled the Fuel Farm Simulator prop. See a short video clip below. Tonight as darkness falls on campus, and ghostly ghouls line up at your doors, these students will be busy with another prop, the Propane Tank, where students further their experience in removing the hazard of the most disastrous event involving tank-held combustibles, the Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE).

FEMA Teams Training at FSFC

The Florida State Fire College is once again home to complex FEMA
training for disaster response. Nationaly recognized instructors in
disaster response were actually on-site to receive training this week.

Shoring, high angle rescue, hazardous materials, IEDs, and various
available equipment were all part of the training that is being used
to expand the capabilities of rescuers.

Hosers?

Students from the Firefighter I & II class perform one of the more memorable skills from the course. The Garage Attack video is below:

Firefighter I & II Class V Gets Taste of Pressure Cooker

The current Firefighter I & II class performed multiple attacks on three floors of the newly updated burn building. They were able to confront both Class A fired props and Gas fired props in separate environments. With the watchful eye of the Instructors, students were motivated beyond their perceived expectations and performed well under the new circumstances.

National Attention

More than twenty states including Missouri, Texas, New York,
California, and Colorado were represented by FEMA USAR Task Force
members this week on the FSFC campus.

The students were involved in the Heavy Rigger Course which helps
emergency workers with special lifting tactics and efficient
communication with the crane operators who would be called to the
scene of an actual disaster.

FLORIDA HONORS FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS

Ocala, Florida – Today the State of Florida recognized and honored the ultimate sacrifice made by five firefighters who gave their lives in the service of their communities. The names of Jeremy Adams, John Curry, Michael Douthitt , Paul Reynolds, Sr., and Donald Lund were added to 142 other Florida firefighter’s who are honored at The Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial, located at the Florida State Fire College.

The families of each new inductee were presented with a state flag (which has flown over the memorial) and a memorial medal by Les Hallman, Director, Division of State Fire Marshal. “We are here to honor 142 firefighters who never saw themselves as heroes, but who, indeed, were heroes. Today we honor these five men for their service and sacrifice. They will be remembered here, as well as on a wall of honor in Tallahassee.”

A large crowd gathered to respect these brave men and those who went before them. Honor Guard units from 25 departments across the state participated, along with a Florida Unified Bag Pipe and Drum Corp.

The hour long ceremony concluded with the playing of Amazing Grace by the Bag Pipe and Drum Corp.

Janie Gunnell, PIO
janie.gunnell@myfloridacfo.com
(352) 369-2821

Class 4 Prepared for Graduation

2008 Firefighter I & II Class IV is ready for launch. At 1:00pm the
students will be greeted by more than 400 family, friends, and fans
from the public sector as they receive their final send-off as they go
on to pursue their firefighting careers.

Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial 2008

The hallowed grounds of the Florida Fallen Firefighter Memorial will once again be honored with the presence of hundreds of Honor Guard, Public Officials, Fire Service Personnel, Families, and Friends next Friday at 1:00pm

This event is in time with the latest Honor Guard Academy that will help in presenting at the event.

A large contingent of Pipe & Drum Corps. will also be on hand and as well as select events around Ocala during the week.

FF I & II - Class 4 Extrication

Students from Class 4 were busy learning the ins-&-outs of the
hydraulic equipment they will use in emergency cituations durring
their careers. Students also utilized hand tools, air bags, cribbing,
jacks, and a load of technical instruction to remove victims from mock
vehicle crashes.

FF I & II - Class 5 CPR

Students from the freshly opened firefighter 1 & 2 class, today
participated in the first of their series of CPR skills.

They will become certified emergency medical provider CPR and first
responder certified, prior to entering into the fire training portion
of the course.

MC SWAT

Members of the Marion County Sheriff SWAT utilized props and facilities on campus at the FSFC to practice tactical maneuvers.

Rappelling and breaching are among the skills they tested themselves on in order to keep themselves ready for a true emergency.

Apparatus Operations

Students from the Apparatus Ops. class spent the day testing their
control skills at the north east corner of campus. The class was
largely made up of Marion County Fire Rescue personnel.

Students completing this course along with Hydraulics, will soon sit
for the state pump operator test.

India Advanced Search And Rescue Group

The India class has been busy breeching and shorring today. The students have been absorbing the knowledge at a perfect pace, utilizing special tools and props that allow them to prepare for the multitude of disaters that they face commonly at home or abroad.

Some interesting thoughts arise as trainers try to implement the skills, such as the difference in strength of woods and other materials that will be availible to the India Team on their own turf. Common use of bamboo and mahogany bring differnt standards for stregth and use. ASAR members will work closely with the Bamboo Institute (http://www.thebambooinstitute.org/) to ensure that they match compressiion and tensile strengths of the materials used in the USA.