Firefighters say the training covers one of the most complex parts of their job.
Reno Fire Department has been putting crews through a training program which is about to wrap up. This is specialized training to get firefighters ready to drive the engines along with operating the water pumps they need in case of larger fires.
Around spring time is when, twelve firefighters go through this training each year, having to complete over a hundred hours through the academy. Firefighters tell us this is one of the most complex parts of their job, because they have different styles of fire engines and different types of malfunctions they need to recognize in order to think on their feet during an emergency.
Reno Fire Safety and Training Division Chief Cory Whitlock said "when they come to the Fire Equipment Operator Academy, that we host every spring that they have the foundation to be challenged because not only are they learning how to pump and run the apparatus, drive the apparatus, negotiate the different components of it, but they have to learn a lot of math when it comes to, a lot of these water pressures, because they're not just turning on the engine."
The Fire Department hosts this academy with larger areas in mind, like buildings downtown, hospitals, or certain types of houses. Those who want to participate in this training need to have three years of work under their belt before they're able to sign up.
Chief Cory Whitlock said “they have to be equipped with all these hoses, and they have to talk about friction loss, elevation change, how much water they're receiving, how much water they're pumping out, and how many, areas they're pumping out. So they're really maxing out not only the increased capability, but also math is, high functioning here, so they're really having to make a lot of decisions in a short amount of time."
The Fire Department says it’s critical to have firefighters able to jump into these roles at a given moment. They did say one of their main focuses in the training is navigating through our hills.
Chief Cory Whitlock said "we make sure that that is a cornerstone of our training here, that they understand the ins and outs had negotiated up these hills, how to pump and and drive at the same time and really protect structures, so I think that's one of the most critical aspects of this, this academy that we give to our community."
After the three weeks, firefighters are able to test and qualify to drive the firetrucks to the scene instead of sitting in the back seat how they did before.
