Academy participants learn about day in life of firefighters

Bethany J. Royer Piqua Daily Call Originally published April 21, 2012 P !"A # t$s not o%ten that an indi&idual gets to see the 'ity s(yline %ro) *0 %eet in the air, enter a s)o(e#%illed roo), and ta(e a trip on a %ire engine, but that$s e+a'tly ,hat )e)bers o% the %irst e&er go&ern)ent a'ade)y did -ednesday e&ening. .he third 'lass three out o% 11 sessions ,as held ,ith the t,o do/en#plus parti'ipants at the Piqua %ire house. Congregated in the training roo), Chie% 0i(e Rindler and )any others o% the Piqua 1ire Depart)ent, spo(e on eli)inating pre'on'ei&ed notions ,hile ans,ering questions on the ser&i'es they pro&ide. .hese ser&i'es in'lude rope, to,er, ri&er and 'on%ined spa'e res'ue, along ,ith %ire pre&ention edu'ation and in&estigation, to na)e but a %e, that goes along ,ith %ighting %ire and para)edi' ser&i'es. -hy are so )any di%%erent ser&i'es 'o)bined in a single depart)ent2 3.he last thing you ,ant to hear is %or us to tell you sorry, ,e don$t do that,3 said Rindler o% those nu)erous ser&i'es that pro&ides the highest le&els o% %ire and )edi'al training and that, 3.he sta%% ,e ha&e here is the best trained personnel you 'an get, there$s nothing higher and that$s 4ust a start.3 Just a start indeed. # Did you (no,2 n a single 25#hour shi%t a si+ to eight )an tea) o% pro%essional %ire%ighters6para)edi's ,ill respond to an a&erage o% 10 a)bulan'e 'alls and 1.7 %ire 'alls. "sing a 10#question o&er&ie,, Rindler set the stage %or ,hat ,ould 'ul)inate to the agenda %or the 'lass, su'h as ,hat a typi'al day entails %or a %ire%ighter, the ,eight o% gear ,orn by %ire%ighters and ho, )any %ire6809 runs ,ere )ade in 2011. t ,as a qui/ ,ithout ans,ers so as to allo, the 'lass a 'han'e to see %irsthand not only tas(s the %ire personnel )ust per%or) but the )ultiple s(ills and standards they are held to. Did you (no,2 n 2011, the Piqua %ire depart)ent )ade 5:7 %ire runs, :,7:; 809 runs ,ith a sta%% o% 2*. n 'o)parison to 1<=; ,here they )ade :== %ire runs, 1,2=0 809 runs ,ith a sta%% o% 2;.

9plitting the 'lass into groups o% %our, parti'ipants ,ere gi&en the opportunity to ride on one o% the %ire engines, gi&en a brea(#do,n o% the gear %ire personnel ,ear, and see the latest te'hnology, that helps sa&es li&es, in a'tion. Parti'ipants ,ere also gi&en a 'han'e to ,or( a %ire hose ,hile others ,ere gi&en an eagle#eye &ie, o% the 'ity on the <7 %oot aerial ladder tru'(.

Did you (no,2 A %ire)an$s gear 'an ,eigh 77 to ;0 pounds and 'osts on a&erage >:,000.

?o,e&er, it ,asn$t all %un and ga)es as 1ire Captain John @endall played a bone# 'hilling <11 tape o% a %ire#trapped indi&idual in a third story roo) and &ideo o% the 200: 9tation night 'lub %ire in Rhode sland that (illed a hundred people. Both tapes sho,'ased to the go&ern)ent a'ade)y 'lass ho, qui'(ly a %ire 'an spread and ho, there are only )inutes to es'ape. @endall also ga&e the 'lass an e+tinguisher training session, e+plaining their di%%eren'es and ,hat type o% %ires to use the) %or, along ,ith the a'rony) PA99A pin, ai), squee/e and s,eep. # Did you (no,2 .he per 'apita 'ost per person %or the ser&i'es pro&ided by the %ire depart)ent is >1:*.*:. .hat$s >:0 'heaper than the ".9. a&erage.

-hile a little %riendly 'o)petition )ay ha&e been 'reated bet,een the depart)ents during the 'ity$s %irst e&er go&ern)ent a'ade)y, as ,as stated by se&eral o% those on the %ire depart)ent, in'luding Rindler, 3-e as a 'ity ,or( as a tea).3 Be+t ,ee( the go&ern)ent a'ade)y 'lass ,ill &isit the par(s, streets and engineering depart)ents.