Simple training props

[FyredUp]

As I have said previously I am the training officer for 2 POC FDs and unfortunately due to my work schedule I am unable to make it to training nights. On the "out of town" POC FD I am on I have a really good younger guy helping me out with training. If I am not going to be there I give him a lesson plan and he runs the training. Well, tomorrow is one of those days where I can't make it so I was trying to come up with something to do, hands on, but that could be done inside. (It seems like it has rained here for 40 days and 40 nights) So I went to the books and my hometown POC FD has a book by FPP/OSU named "The Sourcebook for FIRE COMPANY TRAINING EVOLUTIONS." I was looking for an interesting, fun drill that would be worthwhile for the guys, yet not put too much pressue on the guy running the drill.

So anyways, man this is getting longer than I planned, there was a restricted passage drill in there with a homemade prop. The prop is a partial sheet sheet of plywood, I cut it down to 41 inches wide by 36 inches high with a 15 inches wide by 20 inches high opening cut into it at the center bottom. I put a 2x4 across the bottom and framed out the hole with more 2x4s as well as putting 2 more 2x4s along the edge and another across the top of the prop. Seems like overkill but I go by the old adage put a naked firefighter in a room with 2 ball bearings and in 5 minutes he will lose one and break the other, so I wanted it to survive guys pushing and pulling on it. The overall size of the prop is designed to allow you to put it in a doorway and hold it there to support it as FFs attempt to crawl through. We are going to let them get comfortable with the size of the opening and then string some electrical wire in the opening to simulate wiring for outlets.

So anyways, the point of this post? Share your INEXPENSIVE training prop ideas so we all can take advantage of them.

There is a LT on the "out of town" POC FD that is spearheading building a roof vent simulator and underneath that we are going to build more restricted passage boxes with wire entanglement and such. He is also looking at building a forcible entry door trainer for using the Irons. I received many good ideas over at IACOJ for that prop and some others.

Thanks!

[voyager9]

You've probably already seen this, but here's a good basement rescue prop over on A Firefighter's Own Worst Enemy

Also, the props used during a Pittsburgh drill are handy for various evolutions and cheap/simple to make. Check the googles for examples.

[FyredUp]

You've probably already seen this, but here's a good basement rescue prop over on A Firefighter's Own Worst Enemy

Also, the props used during a Pittsburgh drill are handy for various evolutions and cheap/simple to make. Check the googles for examples.

I am quite familiar with, and have been trained on, many of Dale's training props. You see he is my Captain at the career FD I am on!

[voyager9]

I am quite familiar with, and have been trained on, many of Dale's training props. You see he is my Captain at the career FD I am on!

That's pretty cool.

I didn't mean to be redundant, just throwing out what I had seen recently that seemed to fit.

[FyredUp]

That's pretty cool.

I didn't mean to be redundant, just throwing out what I had seen recently that seemed to fit.

Not redundant at all. You had no way of knowing he is my Captain. I just found it kind of funny that you would point me to him and one of his props since I have probably been through that evolution more than a "few" times with him.

He has several videos on Youtube. Most of them deal with RIT or self rescue. He is VERY well versed on those areas and has taught both for many years. I highly recommend doing a seach for him on Youtube because in my humble opinion they are incredibly valuable training tools.

[Deluge059]

I was actually just going to make a thread like this, this week.

At my station we have the Denver Door prop and a studded wall "climb through" prop. We used them once and thats it. I would like to build some stuff to bring in to use more often.

[FyredUp]

I was actually just going to make a thread like this, this week.

At my station we have the Denver Door prop and a studded wall "climb through" prop. We used them once and thats it. I would like to build some stuff to bring in to use more often.

The prop I talk about in my original post took about 20 minutes to build and 4 2x4s and a 36 by 41 sheet of old plywood siding.

Total cost? About $10 or so, the 2x4s were new, I used pobably 40 screws, some 1 5/8 and some 3 1/2 inches. Since I had the roughly half sheet of plywood laying around, no cost for that since it was destined for the burn pile anyways.

Not all the props have to be high dollar, if we use some ingenuity, scrounge a little, and do the work ourselves.

[JSMV72]

The prop I talk about in my original post took about 20 minutes to build and 4 2x4s and a 36 by 41 sheet of old plywood siding.

Total cost? About $10 or so, the 2x4s were new, I used pobably 40 screws, some 1 5/8 and some 3 1/2 inches. Since I had the roughly half sheet of plywood laying around, no cost for that since it was destined for the burn pile anyways.

Not all the props have to be high dollar, if we use some ingenuity, scrounge a little, and do the work ourselves.

I also built a wall pass through prop. I work at the local landfill and I got all the 2 x 4 and plywood for free, just had to purchase some screws. I am looking to build some sort of pitched roof vent prop outdoors if anyone has some ideas.

[Deluge059]

The prop I talk about in my original post took about 20 minutes to build and 4 2x4s and a 36 by 41 sheet of old plywood siding.

Total cost? About $10 or so, the 2x4s were new, I used pobably 40 screws, some 1 5/8 and some 3 1/2 inches. Since I had the roughly half sheet of plywood laying around, no cost for that since it was destined for the burn pile anyways.

Not all the props have to be high dollar, if we use some ingenuity, scrounge a little, and do the work ourselves.

Tell your Captain thanks for all those great videos. I thought of doing the webbing harness in between the liner aswell, but i've been off for a few shifts and hadn't had the chance to try it out.

Can you post pics of your prop?
(This applies to everyone who has made one)

[Deluge059]

Here are ours:

The first is a wall breach simulator (as seen on vent enter search.com). Its pretty nice and the last one requires air pack removal (unless you're a small guy).


The second is the Denver Drill prop. This is just a homemade door with a "window" cut out in it. Its supposed to simulate a wall with a window in it for victim removal. As you can see, we just put it up in our cleaning room.

[tree68]

One of our state instructors just built a floor joist prop, very much like the wall stud prop pictured above, only horizontal. About the same application, too - make your way up through, or down through the joists.

This is an earlier incarnation:


Our training center also has a couple of lengths of PVC sluice pipe, which can be a challenge to push through as it's quite slippery. It comes in different sizes, and your local highway department might be willing to turn loose a length, if their budget isn't too tight.



Immediately after coming out of the pipe, they had to pass through a stud wall. after which they encountered a prop built into the smoke building, but which could be easily built of wood - a hole in a concrete block wall. I forget the dimensions, but you can probably work them out:



You'd be surprised who can get through a hole like that.

Tying the three together with several other "challenges" was an uncharged 1.5" hose, which the students were to follow. Their masks were blocked with waxed paper, simulating a very smoky atmosphere.

Which leads me to what may now be an obvious point - as you amass these props, you have the ability to create an "obstacle course."

[lopsarong]

That was really a good idea..Tnx a bunch it really helps a lot..