The good news first. Fires in the United States are fewer in number and this number declines with welcome regularity. The moderating news on this front is that fewer fires means fewer opportunities for firefighters to gain experience under actual conditions. The only answer to this situation, as Captain Harris correctly notes, is a strategic focus on training that imparts real-world experiences for firefighters who, in the future, will encounter similar scenarios. In a time where real firefighting opportunities decrease, excellence in training, as well as alternative sources of live firefighting training, must increase.
“Our working fires are down. So how do we get the experience? Training. You train. You train the way you’re going to do it out on the street.” – David Harris
Related:
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Lt. Dustin Dunn, Gallatin (TN) Fire Department
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Chief Robert Fling (Ret.), Dix Hills (NY) Fire Department
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Deputy Fire Chief Steve Przibowski, Santa Clara County Fire Department
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Mike Wieder, Executive Director, IFSTA
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Paul Melfi, State Fire Instructor, New York State Office of Prevention & Control
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Fire Chief Shane Ray (Ret.), President, National Fire Sprinkler Association
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Rich Marinucci, Executive Director, Fire Department Safety Officers Association
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Mike Wieder, Executive Director, IFSTA
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Deputy Chief Tim Cowan
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Captain Rich Goddard
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Captain David Harris
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Deputy Chief Matt Tobia
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Chief Trisha Wolford
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Captain John Dixon
