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Wednesday, November 29, 1989 / University Daily Kansar
OLATHE
Training, practice help firefighters stamp out risk
Modern hazards cause need for equipment
Photos by Julie James Story by Dave Wakefield
Olathe firefighters investigate the source of a fire at 15805 W. 125th Terrace. They found a smoldering bag of ashes in Doug Newman's garage.
The training never ends at Olathe's fire department. Six days a week, for at least two-hours a day, firefighters practice their skills.
In the present New equipment, new laws and changing hazards combine to increase the need for training, said Olathe Fire Chief Jim Donner.
"Because of all the synthetics and all the hazardous materials, it is becoming very difficult for firefighters to even scratch the surface," he said.
Last week, firefighters were training on a new aerial ladder, but not all training is on hazardous materials or new equipment, duty captain Dill Hoggatt said.
"The training chief will look at how long it has been since we last trained on something and set a schedule for review." he said. "A lot is reviewed."
If firefighters have performed poorly on a call or if they seem rusty with a certain piece of equipment, the battalion chief will call for specialized training the next day on that equipment or procedure. Donner said.
Donner, who has worked for the fire department for 24 years, said most changes had taken place in the last 10 years.
"When I started, we had the redbooks," he said. "They covered 10 subjects, and we covered one subject per month.
"A lot was based on tradition back then. We are much better prepared than 10 years ago."
Training aids, visual aids, smoke machines and computers have changed the way firefighters train, he said.
Firefighters can practice in rooms filled with harmless smoke from a smoke machine to simulate search and rescue missions in burning houses. Smoke machines are new technology, and Olathe still does not own one.
In 1986, when Hoggatt first came to Olathe, the department practiced in burning houses, he said. When the department got permission to burn a house, the training committee determine if the structure was safe for practice.
safely enough to prevent "At that time urban renewal was going on and was taking out a lot of old houses," he said. "That was before EPA and all the government guidelines.
"Today, you have to pull the carpet out. If there are asphalt shingles, you can't burn it unless you remove them first. A firefighter might be on the department a year before experiencing a good house fire."
Whether in old houses or rooms filled with artificial smoke, firefighters will continue to train. Donner said
"New technologies are really coming on strong," he said. "I expect to see as many changes in the next 10 years as in the last 10.
"Someday we will have mobile computers on each truck. Equipment is getting lighter and safer. A lot of space technology is being adapted for firefighter use."
Donner said new firefighters trained six to eight weeks before working a regular shift. Once they begin working, they are not counted as shift personnel until after six months. he said.
One of the biggest changes has been a recent emphasis on prevention, Donner said. Practically all materials used in new construction have been treated in some way to improve their resistance to fire, he said.
Each shift has a minimum-manning level, and firefighters with less than six months experience cannot be counted to fulfill the minimum level, Donner said. The six-month period allows the firefighter to train and gain experience with actual fires.
RIGHT: Captain Paul Willy, 29, and Captain Bill Hoggatt, 47, train on the aerial ladder, ABOVE; Colin Pauls, prevention officer, teaches Mandy Scantlin, April Coutts and Lea McIntosh, 5-year-olds from Olathe, fire prevention and safety techniques.
Mike Huffman, 23, of Spring Hill, runs through the checks on his air supply system. Huffman, on "B" shift, has been with the Olathe fire department for two years.
John Dupont, 29, lies in the bunk room before lights out and listens intently to the conversations. Dupont is an eight-year veteran.