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| Safety procedures are
reviewed by all personnel while firefighters get a 'dry' run at the
techniques that they will be demonstrating in a short few minutes.
(Photo by: Bruce Dunham) |
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| Firefighters advance on
the burning pressurized container using their water streams to cool the tank
and preventing it from exploding. (Photo by: Bruce Dunham) |
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| Burning gasses rocket
skyward when the contents of the tank exceed the pressure setting of the
pressure relief valve. (Photo By: Susan Sanger) |
GLYNN COUNTY, GA – Tuesday and
Wednesday nights were busy for many of the personnel of the Brunswick and Glynn
County Fire Departments. Not fighting fires or responding to emergencies, but
learning how to safely control pressurized container fires.
Those driving on Fourth Street in
Brunswick late Wednesday evening would have wondered what all of the activity
was behind the Brunswick fire station. Not to worry, the flames shooting nearly
50 feet into the night sky were part of a live fire training exercise using
propane gas.
A total of 38 firefighters with
the Brunswick and Glynn County Fire Departments received training, from 4
instructors, in the much sought after topic of pressurized container fire
control. All of the students received a pressurized container fire control
certification through the Georgia Fire Academy.
The live fire portion of the
training exercise was made possible with a gracious donation of approximately
500 gallons ($1300.00) of liquid petroleum gas, propane, by Jon Hardwick, or
local Ferrellgas distributor.
The class was organized by
Captain Joe Poppell, training officer for the Glynn County Fire Department, and
was initially intended for personnel within the Glynn County Fire Department.
However after hearing that the class was being offered locally, several
personnel from the Brunswick Fire Department asked about participating. In
order to accommodate this request the class was moved from the Glynn County Fire
Department training site to Brunswick Fire Departments’ training site.
Training took place at the
Brunswick Fire Department’s training site at their station 3. The instructors
for the class came from the Georgia Fire Academy, the Saint Mary’s Fire
Department and in-house instructors from the Glynn County Fire Department.
The class, which took two days,
provided firefighters with some hands on experience with dealing with these
fires and the dangers they possess. Along with how to suppress these fires
firefighters also learned how to safely approach the hazards and the importance
of evacuating the area if necessary.
One thing is for sure; the
citizens of Brunswick and Glynn County are safer now that more of their
firefighting force has been formally trained in these types of emergencies.
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