MN FF 1

Just finished the State certification test for MN FF 1. 125 written exam; 25 on Haz Mat Awareness and five practical stations.

There were over 80 FF at the Hennepin Tech college to take any number of tests from FF1, 2, officer and training certifications.

The five practical’s were:
Ropes: Tying a Bowline, Figure 8 on a bite; clove hitch and then demo raising tools
Hose: Rolling and managing hoses
Ladders: Ability to demonstrate the proper technique for moving and setting up a 35ft 2-fly ladder and proper technique for working off a ladder.
Search & Rescue: Maintain orientation while searching a room for a victim with eyes blind-folded
SCBA: Proper care and donning of SCBA

I know I nailed the practicals (497/500) and did well on the FF1. The only unknown is the Hazmat (seeing it is 25 questions you are only allowed 7 wrong.....i am sure i squeaked by)

Fire Fighter I

This evening's class was the HTC's Fire Fighter 1 written and practical exam. The written part was seventy five questions with some challenging questions...but for the most part a fairly easy.

The practical was really a good situation to practice for the upcoming State test on Saturday. Considering the temperature was a balmy -6 degrees Fahrenheit we did most of the exam inside with the exception of the ladder test.

1. Don/Doff Full PPE with SCBA in under two minutes
2. Hose role and maintenance
3. Ventilation
4. Forcible entry
5. Ladder work

This Saturday we take the State test which will be a bit longer and tougher. until then.....

Code 3

Well I attended my first medical call last night. Thanksgiving evening. Out of respect for the family and the fact that there are privacy issues I won’t share many details but let’s just say this was a tough first call.

The Fire Department was called following a medical call as an older male was not feeling and well slipping in and out of consciousness. When we arrived the paramedics and two police officers were performing CPR. EPFD jumped in to assist with the CPR which allowed the paramedics to focus on providing intravenous fluids, med’s and other vitals monitoring. CPR on a person, a father….. is very different than on a practice dummy. I mentally had to switch off emotions or looking at the patient as someone’s parent and deal with the situation as just that a……a situation.

We worked on the patient for close to sixty minutes before the paramedics finally called it.

Afterwards I wasn’t sure how I would feel or act. If I would dwell on the fact that someone just passed or that we did everything we could to save a life. So far I am okay with it. I was a little tough to go back to sleep at 2 in the morning but that is nothing new. I know it could have been a lot tougher but we have some great people in the department.

Hopefully next time we’ll have a different outcome.

Sunset through Station #4

Tower 41 and Engine 41 at Eden Prairie Station #4

Ladder Rescue

Tonight’s training was all about the use of the ladder. Learning key parts (butt spur’s, dogs and fly’s). We also practiced pulling and setting up straight ladders and extension ladders….properly and safely. Once the ladders were up we had a few other key parts to test including a foot-hold to allow us to work hands free while we are up high. The last part of training was a simulated rescue of an unconscious person from a third story window……Lets just say the ‘fake’ victim could have easily become a real victim as some body parts were put under great stress…..think face to face, straddling a fireman’s thigh and being brought down, rung by rung with all your (victims) weight coming down on your groin with each step. This photo is the closest thing I could find (I need to remember to start brining a camera).

Jaws of Life

Tonight’s Fire / Rescue training was a lot of hands on training. We were introduced to the ‘tools’ of the trade including the K-12 saw, chainsaw plus the hydraulic “jaws of life”. These three pieces of equipment (cutter, spreader and a ram) are key tools vehicle extrication. They can literally cut a car into pieces in the matter of minutes. Although I was not able to take a photo of the car we ‘practiced on’ this photo is very typical of work that can be done. Our car was a four-door mini station wagon. After removing the windshield we pried off the front and rear doors and cut the top off.

Next will be forcible entry and ventilation.

Check out the NEW SCBA

This is a really cool evolution to our current SCBA's