Spring Fire Training Refresher

Spring fire training has almost been completed. Fire personnel have been through the spring fire refresher and some through the pack test. Once they have had the fire line basic course which is two days of basic fire training, the fire personnel are required to go through a fire safety course annually and if they want to respond to fires outside of Meagher County, perform what we call the pack test.

In the fire refresher course, fire personnel go through a review of the safety line requirements which also includes being able to deploy a fire shelter. This year course attendees reviewed the fires of 1910, what can be done to prevent injury on the fire line, and also went through the Mark 3 pump. This pump is a mobile pump we can use almost anywhere to pump water to the fire line.

Participants taking the pack test are required to carry packs weighing 45 lbs for 3 miles, and are required to complete this in 45 minutes. The pack test is a work capacity test used to demonstrate firefighter’s abilities to perform the physical requirements needed in the wildland fire arena.

I am extremely grateful for the time our fire volunteers put into fire training and responding to fires, giving up time with their families and their jobs, to assist the residents of Meagher County.