Firefighters from several stations, near and far, came together today for a safety survival training class.
Put on by Western Buckeye Training, the class was used to teach firefighters how to self-extricate themselves in dangerous situations. Training included ladder bailout, showing firefighters how to escape quickly down a ladder having to go head first. They also went through a scenario on how to escape if they are in a hallway and wires fall on them. Stations from American Township, Lima Lakeview, Convoy, New Knoxville, Bath Township and Xenia were all represented. They were instructed by members of American Township, Paint Creek and Lancaster.
"It's absolutely important because when we get in those situations we lose our thought process," said Jordan Hempker, one of the trainers. "We become distressed, we're scared, our adrenaline kicks in. So we need to have the muscle memory and that's what this training creates. Again, if you have the muscle memory you're going to know and fall back on the training to get yourself out."
Swartz Contracting hosted the class, providing the training and lunch for free to the firefighters.
