By Taylor Kearns - bio | email
IRMO, SC (WIS) - Some Irmo firefighters endured the heat of high noon to get in some training on Tuesday, as veterans and newbies learned some new skills that could save a life.
If firefighters are experts in anything, it's gear, heat and training. "It's not gonna be work," said Sharon Miller. "Granted its 102 heat index out here, but that goes with the job, gets you more use to the heat."
Miller has been fighting fires for 16 years, but training sessions like this one are always a rare opportunity. This time they have a vacant building in Irmo to stage as a real emergency. A smoke machine provides the confusion, and the season provides the heat.
"This building is gonna give us a realistic application instead of props or simulations," said Chief Greg Mundy. "Minus the fire, it's gonna give us the components of a real setting."
They're fine tuning old techniques and learning new ones such as the Denver Drill, a routine they may need to call on to save the life of a comrade or fire victim. "In Denver, a firefighter got trapped in a little spot like that and they had to send two guys in," said Miller. "He ended up perishing because they couldn't get him out of a small area."
"If we weren't doing this training today and we got caught in a situation like this, we would have to sit there and think about it and figure out what to do," added Miller. "But now if we keep training it will be second nature we wont even have to think about it anymore. Hopefully it gives people out there peace of mind, yeah we're gonna keep you guys safe."
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