Members of the Carroll Fire Department recently completed a two-day training session with Customized Firefighter Trainer, Jim Carpenter, of Milford. There were classroom and hands-on sessions on fire development, ventilation, personnel accountability and interior fire attack. In the classroom portion, firefighters looked at how quickly fire can develop with new construction materials and synthetic fabrics, like those found in carpeting, furniture and decorative materials in our homes and businesses. They also learned about the importance of respiratory protection from toxic smoke that can be generated by these burning materials. The use of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) was stressed. The hands-on training utilized a mobile, 30-foot by 8-foot fire burn simulator that was set up behind the station. The trailer is controlled by the instructors and uses propane gas and hay bales for smoke generation to create an environment that Fire Chief, Greg Schreck, says is as real as it gets. The firefighters entered the smoke- and heat-filled simulator to extinguish the fire and ventilate the smoke. These types of training sessions are part of the department’s ongoing efforts to maintain a well-trained crew of firefighters to serve the community of Carroll. Funding for the training was provided by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
