Firefighters conduct rescue training thanks to a generous Southborough resident

September 15, 2007

Southborough Firefighters conducted training Saturday, September 15 at a Bryden Road home that is about to be demolished. Paul, Mary Ellen & Connie   Whitman graciously donated their home so that firefighters could practice in near life-like conditions.

Firefighter Safety & Survival training instructor Joe Nedder and three associates, working with Southborough Fire Training Officers Lieutenants Jim Peltier and Chris Dano created training scenarios using props such as collapsed ceilings, furniture and other obstructions in heat (generated with a portable heating unit) as well as smoke (using theatrical non-toxic smoke) to create near real fire conditions. Firefighter safety and survival techniques have been taught to Southborough firefighters for the past two years in the fire station. This drill put all of the techniques to practice in zero visibility conditions.

All aspects of the training were conducted as if a real fire was occurring; two firefighters responded on the first engine, followed by two in the next engine simulating the current four firefighters on duty staffing configuration. There was a delay of five to 10 minutes for the next responding engine and ladder truck to simulate the life-like delay that we experience in daily operations (either waiting for off-duty and on-call personnel, or mutual aid, or both). In each case the initial firefighters became lost and disoriented in the dark, hot, smoky conditions. Other responding firefighters had to locate and remove the firefighters to safety, as well as search for civilians, ventilate the building, and contine with firefighting operations.

This is the first training opportunity that brought the entire department together to train in quite some time. Generally, the four separate work shifts (consisting of four or five on-duty personnel each) train when they are working. The work shift training is limited as it involves a limited amount of personnel, and generally does not include the on-call personnel. As firefighting is a labor-intensive task, generally requiring 14-18 personnel or more to fight a "routine" small house fire, the department trains as an entire unit when funding is available.

The following pictures are courtesy of, and (C) 2007 Linda Hubley:

Smoke machines caused near zero visibility during the training. You can only see the firefighter's feet in this photo. The non-toxic smoke used is white; in real fire conditions, the smoke is oily black due to the large amount of plastics and other petroleum-derived products in a home.

Firefighters, part of a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) prepare to enter the house to search for and remove a downed firefighter.

This team of firefighters brings a downed firefighter out of the house after an extensive search and rescue operating in zero visibility. WBZ-TV photographer Terry McNamara filmed the training for a story which aired Saturday and Sunday on WBZ-TV 4.

WBZ-TV Photographer Terry McNamara and Reporter Peg Rusconi film a segment between training. Here is the link to the story (it is the second story in the segment): http://wbztv.com/video/?id=38328@wbz.dayport.com 

The last scenario simulated a firefighter trapped in a bathroom with no way to escape. In order to complete the rescue, firefighters had to make a doorway into the bathroom from the outside wall.

Firefighters used a rescue saw to cut a hole in the wall to complete the rescue.

While firefighters create the hole in the wall, other firefighters on the roof cut a hole to "vent" the fire. Ceiling temperatures in house fires exceed 1,000 degrees F. The temperatures at the floor level can exceed 200 to 300 or more. Visibility is often zero. In order to enter a home to rescue occupants or other firefighters and fight the fire, the extreme heat and zero-visibility smoke must be "vented" from the building.

Once the "door" is made into the bathroom, a firefighter climbs in to assist others in rescuing the downed firefighter.

Thanks to Joe Nedder and his crew for the excellent training!

After the rescue training, firefighters had an opportunity to pull ceilings and walls, which simulated "overhaul", or the search for hidden fire.

Southborough Firefighters as well as the trainers pose at the end of the day.