Fire fighting & Emergency response team training

Seven days were spent doing firefighting & emergency response team training at the Tas Fire training center. 

Over the seven days, subjects covered were;

Structural tactics

Confined space rescue techniques

Basic fire fighting

Breathing apparatus

Fire pump operation

Confined spaces

Foam systems

Hazardous material

Forensic investigation

Management

Highlights of the course were holding (trying to) the 63cm fire hose, removing victims from fire & smoke filled rooms using breathing apparatus,  boiling liquid gas fires and working as a team to fight fires and recover victims. The course was very demanding and hot hard work but also very rewarding. Some of us remained another day to do forensic investigation & management where we learnt to identify and preserve burnt bodies and to investigate the cause of fires. Both the instructors and facility were first class. Let’s hope we won’t have to use these skills down south, but fire remains one of our biggest threats in Antarctica.