Live Fire Training at Junction City, 2016

The Junction City and Weaverville Fire Department hosted a two day live fire training on March 19^th and 20^th.  This training involved skills practice on searching for victims trapped in a fire, proper hose and nozzle operations, proper use of Safety gear and breathing apparatus and proper methods of fire attack.  The drill site was an abandon structure on the lower field behind Junction City School.  Instructors from Junction City FD, Redding Fire Department and Weaverville Fire Department presented this two day training to 47 Trinity County Firefighters.

The first day of training was specially designed for new members of local departments.  The morning was spent presenting skill sessions on hose handling and nozzle operations, three different search and rescue techniques stations and proper use of safety gear and breathing apparatus. Students moved into a fire behavior discussion and demonstration with the use of a small fire inside the home.  The afternoon was spent with four person teams of firefighters making entry inside the structure and extinguishing small fires, practicing search techniques with rescuing victims and techniques for smoke removal.  The drill concluded at 1700 hrs.  Participating agencies included students from Salyer FD, Hawkins Bar FD, Downriver Fire Company, Junction City FD, Weaverville FD, Douglas City FD, Lewiston FD and Hayfork FD.

The second day of training was designed for firefighters with more experience and provided them with practice responding into a fire scene, establishing command and developing a plan of attacking the fire.  Teams were then assigned to perform different function to extinguish the fire, remove the smoke and rescue victims from the building.  After the five teams performed all the different roles, the house was burned to the ground.  Agencies that participated on the second day of training included Junction City FD, Weaverville FD, Douglas City FD and Lewiston FD.

WFD Support Services provided the Firefighter with drinks and snacks, filled breathing apparatus bottles and performed firefighter health safety checks.  In addition they provide the teaching cadre with food and drinks.  Trinity County Life Support assisted with health safety checks as their busy schedule allowed.

A special “Thank You” to the Redding Firefighters who assisted with valuable training and real life experienced for our local Volunteer Firefighters.  They spent both days with our crews and were very impressed with their dedication and abilities as Firefighters.

The Weaverville and Junction City FDs thank Junction City School for providing a great training site for us to gain this valuable experience.