Ind. And Mich. Firefighters Train On New Equipment
Posted
Jen Gibson-jgibson@timesuniononline.com
Firefighters from northern Indiana and Michigan gathered Thursday afternoon in Warsaw to train on new equipment.
The Warsaw Fire Department is the proud new owner of an air knife that, when paired with the Warsaw Wastewater Treatment Department's vac truck, can rescue someone trapped in a trench or grain bin 90 percent faster than in the past.
The rescue equipment is one of one three sets of such equipment in Indiana. The other two sets of equipment are in Fishers and Clay Township.
Thursday, representatives from the Penn Township, Mishawaka, Syracuse, Warsaw and Niles, Mich., fire departments gathered at the Warsaw Wastewater Treatment Plant on CR 150W to learn how to use the new equipment.
For the training exercise, a dummy was hidden in a trench and then covered with dirt to simulate a real-life situation. Firefighters then used the new air chisel to break up the dirt and the vac truck was used to suck loosened dirt and debris away.
In the past, such a rescue effort would have been conducted using shovels and buckets, which is a long, tiring process for rescue workers.
The rescue equipment was purchased by the city, but it can be used anywhere in the area. Mayor Ernie Wiggins told the fire and wastewater departments that they have permission to take the equipment wherever it is needed.
According to Aaron Bolinger, captain at the Warsaw Fire Department, there are about 150 new water hookups in Warsaw each year, meaning that there is a lot of trench work done in the city and surrounding areas.
While the training session Thursday focused on trench rescue, the equipment can also be used during building collapse situations and confined space rescues.
"We are a very fortunate department to have the equipment we do, and the support we have from the city," Bolinger said.
Warsaw firefighters who participated in Thursday's training were Derek Shilling, Mike Brubaker, Andrew Calloway, Rob Barker, Nate Iden, Brandon Schmidt and Bolinger. The officers certified to use the rescue equipment are required to have an additional 200 to 250 hours of training on top of their regular fire training.
All totaled, 85 firefighters from northern Indiana and lower Michigan are part of a team trained to used the rescue equipment.Eight members of the Warsaw Wastewater Treatment Plant staff were present at the training exercises Thursday as well. Gerry Moser, Jack Hamman, Dave Leiter, Gene Winter, John Helton, Dale Walters, Richard Pierson and Larry Hyden were part of the training.
Moser and Walters also attended a special training session for the equipment in South Bend.
