On September 17th, recruits from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department received their 56 hour Hazardous Materials certification upon completing an elevated 3-dimensional burn at the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Training Academy.
Under the leadership of the JFRD Fire Chief Richard Barrett and Division Chief of Training Michael Geiger, the JFRD training center provides Hazardous Materials, Anti-terror, and WMD classes regularly to ensure that the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department can handle itself during a terror event. All new firefighters hired by the JFRD receive this advanced training. Other classes include decontamination procedures and level A suit training. The JFRD also provides its members the opportunity to travel across the United States to receive the best training available.
During this evolution, JFRD recruits had to simulate a terrorist attack on an industrial facility. Their mission was to hold off the fire so the LP gas valve can be shut off. Firefighters approach the burning LP tank using multiple lines of wide-angle fog. Their job is to keep the fire off another firefighter who has been designated to close the LP valve. Once the fog nozzles have created an opening free of fire, the designated valve person closes the valve. Due to a high number of industrial businesses in Jacksonville, all 1,100 JFRD members receive this training.
For more information on the Jacksonville Firefighters, please visit their web site.
