Training for any situation
BUTLER TWP — They may not have been emergency situations, but the fires were real over the weekend at the annual Butler County Fire School.
The classes, held in several locations around the county, were designed to help prepare firefighters for the situations that they encounter during a fire.
On Saturday, students were practicing “hydraulic ventilation,” which is the use of water to force smoke and especially hot air out of a burning building, at the public safety center at Butler County Community College. The building that was used was a “burn building,” which has three floors and is constructed of concrete.
Mel Bliss, public safety training coordinator at BC3, said this training is important.
“The heat is what kills us,” Bliss said.
Most of the training on Saturday involved classroom work. Sunday was the “burn day,” which included live fire in the burn building at BC3, an agricultural fire in Harrisville and a chemical fire in Petrolia. Classes also were held at Slippery Rock University.
This was the 60th annual fire school, which is put on by the Butler County Fire Chief's Association. In addition to the classes, there was a banquet celebrating the school's anniversary Saturday evening.
There was no live fire in the building Saturday. When there is live fire, Bliss said the temperature in the building can reach between 800 and 1,000 degrees.
Before doing anything physical, the students have to meet prerequisites, including finding out their standing heart rate and performing ladder training.
“You don't want to wait until there's live fire to find out that someone can't go down a ladder,” Bliss said.
Safety is a big concern, given the use of fire and smoke.
Bliss said there were three paramedics on the ground for Saturday's class. The Saxonburg Ambulance Service was on standby for Sunday's class. No students went into the burn building without a certified fire instructor.
Many of the students agreed that the training was important. They also were enjoying the school.
This was the first fire school for Sherry Stivason of the West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department.
“I'm kind of nervous,” Stivason said.
This also was the first time for Jeremy Wroblewski of the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Department, who said he was excited for the “burn day.” He has been in the department for a year.
“It's a lot of work, but it's worth it,” Wroblewski said.
Taylor Johnson of Jackson Center Volunteer Fire Department in Pine Township, Mercer County, said he prefers doing similar training in an “acquired structure,” which is made of wood. He said it better simulates a house fire.However, training in a burn building is still good.“You feel the heat,” Johnson said.Tasha Long of the Harrisville Volunteer Fire Department came for the second time. She likes the facility at BC3 and said she was excited for the “burn day” Sunday.“That's the best part. That's what you work for,” Long said.The fire school reaches outside the county, as well.Shawn Hastwell and Keith Zygowski were there from the Conway Volunteer Fire Department in Beaver County.Hastwell said Beaver County does not have a fire school like this, and the department either goes to this one or Allegheny County's. He said Butler County's is more in depth.Zygowski said schools like this are good because they afford firefighters with intensive lessons. As a volunteer, he has several other things going on in his life. He and other volunteer firefighters have to train whenever they get the chance.“A lot of us, we'll do it over and over again because it's practice,” Zygowski said. “You can never practice enough.”
