Small Vehicle Training

This week's training has to go down as one of the best training sessions as a rookie. Before we are allowed to operate any of the departments 'small vehicles' (rescue or utility) we are required to attend two defensive training sessions (one class and one hands on). This week's version was the hands on.

This is likely the only time we'll ever be given the opportunity to drive a vehicle as hard as we did. The opportunity was not as much about being defensive but more about learning the limits of a car and how to manage a situation when things go unexpected. We were given access to a suburban (R41); Pick up truck (U11); some old cop cars and an old ambulance.

Our first obstacle was the serpentine course where you push the vehicle weaving through a line of cones at speeds between 25mp and 40mph.

Second obstacle was the skid pad. An open parking lot with heavy water. We approached the skid pad a 30-35mph and locked the breaks; breaking with a lane shift and circling at the fastest speeds possible.

Third challenge was a back up course learning to weave, and change lanes in reverse.

And final course was the 'decision course'....think about driving straight down the middle of a road with a left and right lane change....except the light to notify which direction is flashed at the second possible. Speeds started a 23mph and went up to 40mph. The difference between 25 and 30mph was incredible.

All in all a great evening. Some good learning's and even better times.