Fire Department Recruits Participate in Joint Training Exercise

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Recruits from the Frankfort and Georgetown Fire Departments, joined by Franklin County Fire Fighters, participated in a joint training exercise on Monday at Frankfort’s training facility on Kentucky Avenue.

Empty storage containers were filled with used wooden pallets and set fire to simulate cramped, hot, smoky conditions that they will likely face in their careers.  “This type of training helps us to see how the recruits will respond in these conditions,” said Frankfort Fire Chief Eddie Slone.  The conditions include below freezing temperatures outside while temperatures inside may reach 900 degrees at the ceiling according to Slone.

The storage containers are not only hot and filled with smoke, they also contain obstacles the recruits must navigate while trying to manage the fire.  “The training also gives them some experience with maneuvering a fire hose in tight conditions.  Those hoses are heavy and take several fire fighters to handle,” said Training Officer John Redfern.

According to Redfern the training is perfectly safe for the participating fire fighters.  Training officers are stationed outside the storage containers to guide participants, while other officers are stationed inside the controlled burn area where they observe and gauge reactions of participants.

“It’s very safe.  We give them a safe environment to learn how to deal with these situations,” Redfern continued.

The training wraps up a 12-week recruit class for the six Frankfort and four Georgetown firefighter recruits.  This is second joint recruit class the two cities have completed through an inter-local agreement.  Both Redfern and Slone state the combined two classes have been very successful and have benefited both departments.