Training is Important...

How Important Is Fire Fighting Training?

When I was really into my running program years back, training for the weekend race or marathon, I knew the amount of training put in would determine if I would be successful or not. Running those marathons though, it was just being able to finish the distance. lol The training was important, not only the physical aspect of being prepared but the mindset of being prepared. The training before hand though prepared me to be able to do.

This basic outlook I applied to my running, I applied the same also to my fire protection training as well. Like in my running, being physical and mentally prepared for fire fighting is equal if not as important. You have to know what you’re doing to accomplish the tasks. There are many tasks to many various scenarios that a fire fighter may face. Training on the basics is very important. A quote I used in an earlier blog entry here on Tioga Fire Protection and Fire Prevention applies now when talking about Training:

“A battlefield does not give an opportunity for study, one does what he can to apply what he already knows, therefore, it is necessary that he know thoroughly and be able to use his knowledge quickly.”

How is training approached then? Well, like in my running program I applied/followed the same important rules to my fire fighting training:

1. Use Proper Form: do all aspects correctly and do them in the way they should be done. Keep it simple and basic. Making something more complex then it should be will only muck things up.

2. Steady & Control: be consistent. Going through the training fast as you can just to get it done is just short changing yourself and others that may be training. Learn the whole subject.

3. Full Range in Motion: use all the tools that are needed to perform the tasks in training because when the real deal happens then there’s no question what needs to be done. Do not if you’re a trainee or trainer accept training that is a “dog & pony” show and have it said its training. There’s a step by step process to doing training.

4. Focusing In: focus in on the whole training process of teaching and learning the “how” by doing the hands on, apply what is being learned, evaluate what has been taught as well as the “how” and see if changes need to be done to improve and make better the training process. Change can be a good thing I’m told. lol

Training is all about being effective not only in the way of doing but also the way of thinking. When someone is well trained and faced with a situation, that person should be able to respond quickly and wisely. This performance applies to a fire fighter putting on a SCBA and pulling a fire hose line to fight a fire as well as the emergency medical technician using CPR on a person in need.

The steps of doing training are simple:

1. Starting Point of Training: do an assessment of the training needs themselves. What is needed? Identify needs and determine the training requirements to meet them.

2. The person training should be required to design a course that best gets the “how” across.

3. It goes without saying the person training must be prepared to conduct the course of study.

4. Assessment, evaluation, and analysis the training activates. To include an overall assessment performance of those being trained. Any short falls will surface and adjustment should be taken to improve on future training.

5. Trainers/trainees should and be expected to give feedback and consult on overall training to upper levels of management.

A training program is something that is not fixed in stone. Sure you have the required subjects such as OSHA training throughout the year for local fire departments. So planning the training is important to have training sessions up and running to get the “how” across to persons expected to do the tasks. Make training fun but the most important part of any training session/class is to have a sense, when a person walks away at the end of class, that a good review had taken place or knowledge had been gained.

Like in my training runs that prepared me to finish the race, the same applies to fire fighting. Getting good knowledge and training beforehand on “how” to use tool & equipment of the trade will protect and enable to accomplish what needs to be done on the fire ground scene.

You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind ~ author unknown

The same applies to training in the fire protection field, you just can’t think about training and the training magically happens. Training must be explained, shown, have practical “hands on,” actual showing & doing, and displaying confidence in doing what is being taught. This is the training process, a multi-step process of “how” something is done. Just thinking about training is not going to make the grade, the actual doing is going to get you across the finish line.