TRAINING FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS HELP KEEP PONDEROSA VFD FIREFIGHTERS ON TOP OF THEIR GAME
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ponderosa, TX
Thanks to a FIRE Act grant in 2005, the Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) has been able to make dramatic improvements to its “live burn” training program. The training program, which provides a realistic simulation of common indoor fire fighting scenarios, is an essential tool for the Ponderosa VFD in preparing its firefighters to work safely and effectively during actual emergencies.
Prior to receiving the FIRE Act grant, the Ponderosa VFD relied on a one-story training facility adjacent to a four story tower that severely limited the number of firefighters that could be trained. The original facility also utilized fuels that produced heavy emissions and damaged protecting clothing worn by trainees. Using $157,000 in FIRE Act funds and local matching dollars, the VFD purchased two liquid petroleum gas (LPG) live burn simulation units – one modeled on a kitchen and one on a bedroom. Each of these simulation environments has the capability to be filled with “theatrical” smoke to simulate real fire conditions, while producing near zero emissions.
Ponderosa VFD Chief Fred Windisch explained that the largest gain from the live burn simulators was in the ‘firefighter throughput’. “In the past we could do maybe three burns in a three hour period, followed by a lot of time and hard work to clean everything,” said Windisch. “Now we can do burn after burn with zero clean up. We just reset the electronic control system and do it again and again…allowing us to simulate ten burns in that same three hour window.” This change will enable the VFD to train new members sooner and provide better access to advanced training for veteran firefighters. In addition, mutual aid departments participate in training evolutions and they can also rent the facility for their own specific needs.
In addition to increasing firefighter throughput, the new training equipment has cut down on maintenance and emissions. “The live burn simulators have basically removed the pollution associated with the original method of burning pallets and hay,” said PVFD Chief, Fred Windisch. “Not only did we eliminate the trash debris and smoke, but we also eliminated the clean up of the facility and the washing of all the protective clothing every time a training evolution was performed.”
The 2005 FIRE Act grant also set the stage for a concurrent improvement to the facility – a locally financed expansion of the existing training tower. After plans were approved by the Ponderosa VFD Board of Directors, work began to remove the one-story burn annex and build a two-story, four room building that resembles an apartment complex. The entire building can be used for a host of scenarios that will enable firefighters to go through even more realistic training procedures.
Simply put, the training improvements made possible by the FIRE Act grant will strengthen the protection the Ponderosa VFD provides for the Houston area residents it serves while also helping cut down on firefighter line of duty accidents and deaths.
