DRIGGS — Inside the dark house, the smoke was so thick it impeded all visibility. Adding to the sense of disorientation was the clanging of the cadet’s low-air alarm. His instructor watched through a thermal imaging camera as he crawled across the floor, using the flanges on the fire hose to find the exit.
This exercise was part of the Teton County Fire and Rescue reserve firefighter training held on Saturday, Nov. 19. Outfitted with full suits and air tanks, cadets practiced emergency rescues in a high-stress situation.
Division Chief of Training Jon Wisby provided his new house, which is still under construction, for the training exercises. Smoke was pumped into the shell of the house, creating challenging conditions in which to practice. Trainees in Teton County don’t often have the opportunity to practice in houses.
“Limiting visibility and communication were really eye-opening to the potential challenges we might face in a real situation,” said cadet Aaron Stiny.
After making it out of the smoky house, trainees reconvened in the sunshine and discussed the experience with their instructors.
This batch of cadets started training to be reserve firefighters on October 25. Over 13 weeks they will train for 250 hours with the Teton County Fire and Rescue team. Reserve firefighters are part-time employees who are hired to serve a minimum of two reserve shifts monthly. They also report to fire calls and attend ongoing training.
“For us new reserves in training, it was a great opportunity to take what we’re learning in the classroom and practice it in an austere environment,” said Stiny.
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