Author Topic: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage  (Read 4489 times)

Offline Zippy

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Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« on: November 23, 2010, 10:05:41 PM »
G'day all, its not every day i start up a thread, but here goes!

I would like to hear your experiences in your brigade, of how well firefighters remember what equipment is stowed on your appliances and how well they remember where it lives on the appliances.

Are there regular 'lost' looks?  Or is it a well upkept part of regular training? Can you ask a randomly selected firefighter for a specific part of equipment not used every job and get to work with it in the hurry of when it needs to be used? Does "above standard stowage" equipment clutter the situation or overwhelm newer firefighters? Is there enough time spent on stowage/positioning awareness?

I'm coming from a brigade with a need to improve on this.
« Last Edit: November 23, 2010, 10:11:50 PM by Zippy »

Offline Pipster

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2010, 11:39:16 PM »
My brigade spends a fair bit of time on this type of training.

I try to get different people to do equipment checks each training night, checking that the equipment is where it should be (checked against our stowage list) and that it is in working order.

It is a good way for new members to learn where things are.

During some training sessions, we do what I call "show & tell".

Each person at training is given a specific piece of equipment to locate on the appliance, bring it back to the group, tell the group what it is used for, and where it was found on the appliance.   

I allocate what piece of equipment each person has to get - and I generally give them things that they may not be familiar with - eg I get a non-chainsaw qualified person to find the chainsaw safety gear.

The other part of this is that members are allowed to ask other members where the equipment is, and what it is used for - since we will normally be working as a team.

The whole exercise is fairly short and simple, and is not aimed at making people feel uncomfortable - and can be a bit of fun!

Pip
There are three types of people in the world.  Those that watch things happen, those who make things happen, and those who wonder what happened.

pumprescue

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2010, 05:55:03 AM »
We do appliance check lists every training night, includes making sure all other engine powered equipment is started and run.

We also take something off every week to ensure people actually are checking!

rescue5271

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2010, 12:33:49 PM »
Naracoorte do weekly checking but also for a fun night of training they will take gear off the appliances and ask members to put it back in the correct spot works well.One of their LT'S has also done a 20 question list of equipment on applainces and in a team they have to tell or show the officers where the gear is...

Offline Alex

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2010, 04:55:42 PM »
Hoses are on the reels, waters in the tank!!!  :-D

misterteddy

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2010, 05:22:36 PM »
games?....ahh well I suppose for some it works

Using it, usually works too

Offline Zippy

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2010, 08:41:20 PM »
Naracoorte do weekly checking but also for a fun night of training they will take gear off the appliances and ask members to put it back in the correct spot works well.One of their LT'S has also done a 20 question list of equipment on applainces and in a team they have to tell or show the officers where the gear is...

We've recently done this..  i madly took everything off one side of a recent build 34 (same as Penola 34)... and walked away.  Moments later: "dude, your the only one who knows the home to everything".   Huge Sigh. ;)

And somehow, we achieved putting an extra 64mm roll in after finding some extra space by restowing everything correctly...

I've come to just standing there when i see someone opening every single locker to find a torch....
« Last Edit: November 24, 2010, 08:43:50 PM by Zippy »

Offline JJD

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Re: Firefighter awareness of appliance stowage
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2010, 08:39:03 AM »
I've come to just standing there when i see someone opening every single locker to find a torch....

...then, when they give up, tell them its under the back seat!!!
Been there!!  :-D
Hmmm, a large unused document that is extremely important, but knowone knows what is in it or what it does.

Must be related to some sort of government department... - Footy


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