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SFCC Training Prepares Firefighters For The Worst

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Firefighters safely remove a mannequin from a bus Thursday at the Great Florida Fire School. The training class helped firefighters practice extreme extrication techniques.

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By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: November 9, 2007

AVON PARK — The white miniature school bus started the day intact, but after about 25 firefighters finished their training exercise, only pieces remained.
In about 30 pounds of bunker gear, firefighters scurried around the bus in the parking lot of the Florida State Firemen's Association. The extreme extrication class at the Great Florida Fire School was given a scenario: A mini-bus carrying orange pickers to the groves had hit a light pole, and two victims were trapped under the seats.
Instructors stood nearby taking notes and correcting techniques as firefighters used hydraulic tools to dismantle the bus.
Jill Warrick, a volunteer with the Placid Lakes Fire Department, broke the glass windows and then used a saw to cut off the left side of the bus.
"We used a technique for when you have more than one victim trapped," Warrick said after the exercise. "Buses are a lot different to work with than cars, so this is great practice."
Jonathan Prevatte, a firefighter with Avon Park Fire Department, said it's not uncommon for his department to perform at least one extrication per day. Although he has never responded to a school bus accident, he sees the value in preparing for one.
"It's much better to learn how to do this
in a controlled environment," Prevatte said. "You can never have too much training, learn too much or be too prepared."
The extrication class is just one of the 28 classes firefighters have the option of taking at the 13th annual Great Florida Fire School, which runs through Sunday. For four years, South Florida Community College has hosted the event, which draws about 150 firefighters from across the state.
"We will be happy to be a home for this program as long as they want to come here," said Jerry DeJonge, director of the public service academy at SFCC. "Firefighters are a very special type of people because they are very enthusiastic about what they do. It's contagious and makes us very excited to help organize it."
Mike Cox, coordinator of the event, said the participants take 40 hours of classes, which may help them qualify for various certifications or keep their skills current.
"One of our goals is to have training as up to date as possible," Cox said. "Our motto is 'Everyone goes home,' and a lot of what they learn here helps make sure they do."
Roger Pinholster traveled from the Tallahassee area to take a training class in wildfire.
"The class is really interesting because we hear firsthand from the guys who fight the wildland fires," Pinholster said. "The biggest fire I've seen is probably only three or four acres, so these guys are in a whole different league."
As well as drawing people from throughout the state, many local emergency responders said they are benefiting from the training.
"It's great for them to bring this caliber of training to us," said Tim Eures, emergency operations director for Highlands County. "We have about 50 people who are getting quality training brought to us at a very reasonable price."
Michael Leicht, forest ranger for Division of Forestry, is teaching a class about wildfire, which he said is great cross training for firefighters who usually deal with structure fires.
"After this class, they will know the lingo we use and what to do when they arrive at the fire," said Leicht, of Sebring. "If we have a wildfire, we won't have to try to explain things to them at the scene. We can just give them tasks, and they can jump right in."

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