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SMALL
TOWN--BIG RESULTS
By Kristin
Knudson
 Some refer to
Searcy as a sleepy town, where things move a little slower...
but their fires can prove to be just as fast, hazardous and
deadly. Big cities and big departments have big budgets for
training, as well as the resources to produce live fire
scenarios. So how does Searcy ensure their heroes are equipped
with the knowledge and skills necessary to keep their beloved
town safe?
Roaring house
fires and hidden hazards-- It’s every homeowners nightmare and
every responders shot of adrenaline. The scene is full of thick
smoke, shattering glass windows and fire pouring out every
opening. Seem a little dangerous? Rest assured, everything
mentioned above is performed in a controlled learning
environment, electronically captured and reproduced on computers
in the training classroom of Searcy Fire Department.
Doug Baker,
Searcy’s one and only Training Officer relies on Action Training
Systems, StageIT software to set-up realistic training scenarios
for his force to react, respond and make educated decisions to
successfully fight fires all the while recognizing potential
hazards.
“We don’t have
access to live fire burns for hands on training in our
jurisdiction, and we don’t have the resources to take everyone
out of service for drills all at once in order to keep skills
up, so we needed another avenue and that’s where StageIT came
in.”
With this
software, Baker says “we can do better pre-fire planning and
target hazards.” All 43 of his responders conduct pre-incident
surveys of potentially mass casualty or hazardous commercial
structures in their jurisdiction. They look over the pre-fire
plans and take pictures of different areas and buildings. The
pictures are used in the StageIT program where Baker sets up
different fire scenarios for each team to work through. With
the ability to see how situations can play out in advance, the
department can design well formulated pre-fire plans.
“It takes our
training to the next level and gives back to the community by
helping them with their emergency evacuation plans. It gets
everyone on the same page and gets them thinking.” Baker says,
“it’s easy to tell someone’ if you see brownish tan smoke it
means the wood is untreated,’ but if I put it in the simulator,
they can see it for themselves and identify it. They are at the
point where they are pointing out and identifying things on
their own.”
Baker is very
familiar with the challenges facing today’s training officer,
regardless if they are from a big city or small town. “I read
from Fire Chief’s Magazine that we need to put information in
front of a student 16.7 times for them to remember it because
there is so much new stuff being thrown at them all the time.
StageIT gives us the ability to make sure the important stuff is
retained.” And that is proven in their schedule, Baker trains
with a different crew three days a week, 24 on and 48 off. It’s
no wonder his responders are so well prepared, they are well
trained. In 2003 he received the Excellence Award from the
Arkansas Fire Academy and in 2004 the NISOD Award for Inventive
Training Techniques.
“It’s easy to tell
someone ‘if you see brownish tan smoke it means the wood is
untreated,’ but if I put it in the simulator, they can see it
for themselves and identify it.”- Doug Baker, Training
Officer Searcy Fire Department.
For more
information, Doug Baker can be reached at: (501)279-1066 or by
Email at: dbaker@cityofsearcy.org
StageIT
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PRESS RELEASE
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Cape Fear (N.C.) Computer Training
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West Virginia
State Fire Commission Approves Silverton Fire Department Computer Based Training
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