The Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service (HFRS) has booked up for tactical ventilation training at Chiltern International Fire’s High Wycombe facility.
Station Commander Billy McGill said the concrete-lined two-storey residential house on site offered the right environment for its ongoing training programme.
The facility also includes a 40ft demonstrator unit and attack boxes designed for Compartment Fire Behaviour Training, as well as a two-storey Breathing Apparatus (BA) complex. CIF has worked closely with users to create conditions as close to ‘real life’ as possible, using real fire for all aspects of training.
Station Commander McGill is familiar with the facility, which he used when working with the Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, who have worked with CIF for a number of years. ‘I was able to make Herts aware of what Chiltern International Fire can offer. We use hot cans for fire behaviour training for new full-time and part-time recruits, but use of the training house will enable us to provide ongoing PPV training for more experienced fire fighters, to help them maintain their skills.’
Head of Fire Behaviour Philip Howard said, ‘The training facility is becoming more and more popular as users realise what we can offer. We anticipate a 40% increase in training days for 2010. This increase means fire fighters in our local counties gaining access to live fire training, which is so crucial in their continuing operational safety and effectiveness.’
Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service has training under way on site and additional users this year will include Oxfordshire as well as Bucks and Herts.
Click here for PDF.
rss feeds
