Training for those with previous experience?

[MrBean]

Howdy! I am a prior service US navy submariner who has gone through advanced fire fighting school and in my civilian life serve as a coast guard certified MedPIC on board a ship. I have an EMT-B cert with both my state (Washington) and NREMT. Now that I am settling down a bit with my family, I am considering volunteering for my local fire department. In all humility, I realize that my navy fire training is all geared toward ships and that I’ll be needing additional training to suit an urban environment but how much of the basic first aid training will I have to go through again and is there any way I can get some of my training “signed off”???

[DFurtman]

Unfortunately, no, but you will have a good head start with knowledge in your academy.

-Damien

[ffbam24]

Basic and Advanced Shipboard Firefighting Schools are just that; basic and advanced shipboard firefighting schools.
Not much advantage to anyone with those except that you've been in burn simulators.

Shoot me a PM here with your email and I'll get back with you on more.

bam (SS)

[MrBean]

I'm sorry, I guess I didn't word the question very well. I realize that my shipboard fire fighting experience is not very applicable to the urban environment and am ready to be "re-trained". I am more interested about the "basic first aid" training I will have to take and if my EMT-B and MedPIC experience will help me scoot past some of the basic medical stuff? IE. Should I be learning how to apply a pressure dressing again when I have given countless sutures? (not that I’d be stitching someone up in the field) Also, I’m looking to stay at the volunteer level and not go career (I enjoy being the medic on my ship too much).

[dmleblanc]

It would all depend on the department. Some volunteer departments do not require you to have any medical training at all, other than maybe bloodborne pathogens awareness. Some require all members to be First Responder or EMT-B. My advice to you is to go down to the department you're looking to volunteer with and ask what their requirements are.

If you already have state EMT-B certs I would imagine you'd probably already meet or exceed most volly department's requirements...Generally speaking, I don't think most departments would require you to take "another" first aid course if you're already an EMT, just plan on providing them a copy of your certs....

[FWDbuff]

Basic and Advanced Shipboard Firefighting Schools are just that; basic and advanced shipboard firefighting schools.
Not much advantage to anyone with those except that you've been in burn simulators.

I disagree.

I am a former Federal Firefighter, assigned once upon a time to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard FD. Been through the damage control school (basic and advanced including the buttercup....) Also a volunteer since I was 16.

DC School at Philly used to open up their facilities with open arms to many area VFD's for the purposes of familiarization and training on shipboard firefighting (many miles of the Delaware River and Bay are protected by volunteers...) My organization, while not a river company, took advantage of the free training that they offered. Three or Four times we would go down on a Saturday, and spend the morning and afternoon running through the simulators. It was great training for hose evolutions (teaches the backup man to not only backup the nozzle, but to also help feed the line around obstructions....) Teaches the nozzleman that fire can and will come up behind you, over you, and UNDER YOU!!!!

But above all else, it was fantastic training for TEAMWORK.

Yes, the situational environment may not seem like it would benefit land companies, but the scenarios presented certainly lend valuable training that can carry over to structural firefighting.

[MrBean]

I appreciate your replies guys. I have a meeting scheduled with the firehouse and will ask them what they want me to do. I hope that I didn’t come off as being a self-proclaimed expert medical-wise. Far from it, I am mostly wishing to volunteer for the experience. I don’t get much experience with real trauma or medical emergencies, mostly minor lacerations, burns and sprains. I’m hoping that volunteering with my local FD will give me some good practical experience that will ultimately make me a better medic for when my luck runs out and have to deal with something serious.
Thanks again guys, Mike

[ffbam24]

DC School, yes.
As a submariner, Basic & Advanced Shipboard Firefighting were two seperate one-day courses, at least when I went thru.
Although yes, we did get some of those points you made; fire appearing all around you (especially in a shipboard eniviornment) and shagging hose.
Those basics I'll say yes to, but still not much crossover from my POV. I've always called shipboard firefighting an entirely different kind of beast.
Things and tactics could be different now. It has been a few years

[NathanWert]

When it comes to the EMT stuff you should be set (as long as the department you volly for is also in Washington). The only difference is you need to know what you can NOT do as a civilian ff/emt and what you can do on a coast guard ship. Kind of like you can't suture ANYONE!!!!!

[ffbam24]

As far as the EMT stuff for whichever department you want to volunteer for (assuming it's WA also), all you should really need is to provide your cert to them.
What county are you looking to volunteer in?