FIRE OPS 101
by Alan Herzfeld, Local 149 Attorney

        On October 27 I had the opportunity and honor to be a participant in the
“FIRE OPS 101” event at the state-of-the-art Hammer Training and Education
Center in Richland, Washington.  The event, jointly sponsored by the
Washington State Council of Fire Fighters and the Washington State
Association of Fire Chiefs, consisted of a full-day, hands-on workshop in
which approximately 25 local and state politicians, media representatives
and other individuals involved in Fire/EMS policy-making participated
directly in five different evolutions designed to give the participants a
personal understanding and appreciation of what Fire/EMS personnel do on a
regular basis.  The evolutions included: 1) Exposure and extinguishment of a
live house-burn; 2) Vehicle extrication; 3) A Code Blue Response; 4) An
80-foot Truck Ladder climb and roof ventilation; and 5) A second story
search and rescue operation with hose evolution.  Each participant was
accompanied at all times by a “shadow” from his/her sponsoring Fire
Department , responsible for assuring the safety and enhancing the
educational experience of the participant.  Participants and shadows, alike,
wore full turnouts, including SCBAs for the house burn and search and rescue
operation.
        Although all of the evolutions were, of necessity, controlled simulations,
FIRE OPS 101 was an invaluable lesson for me and all the other participants
in the time- critical, labor-intensive and technical requirements of
emergency response.  After almost 24 years of representing Fire Fighter
Unions throughout Idaho, I gained an immeasurably heightened appreciation of
the substantial effort, expertise and dedication required of professional
Fire Fighters and Medics in the course of emergency responses.  For example,
both the live house burn and the search and rescue evolutions gave me a
seriously increased appreciation of the importance of the 2 in/2 out rule,
and the code blue response helped me appreciate, for the first time, how
much human resources and technical equipment are necessary to properly
resuscitate and stabilize a code blue patient.
        As I said at the “graduation” ceremony, I only wish I had had the
opportunity to participate in a FIRE OPS 101 program 24 years ago.  I
encourage the Local and the PFFI to explore sponsoring another “day in the
life” training program of their own, so that more policy makers from Boise
and around the State can better appreciate what is needed from them to
support your efforts on the line.
        Thanks again to IAFF 7th District VP Ricky Walsh and the Washington State
Council for putting on this exceptional program, to the Local for sponsoring
my participation, and especially to my shadow, Greg Womack, for covering my
ass.