When I was in my formative years as a new firefighter, one of the lessons that was emphasized over and over again was that you never, ever leaned against or blindly grabbed ahold of an aerial truck if the stick was out of the bed.  The reason for that is obvious and even a smidgeon of common sense tells you that.  But the point was repeated often and drummed into you so that you behaved automatically without having to stop and remind yourself at the time.  When you’re not allowed a second chance at something, you definitely learn how to avoid instant death or disability.

I am wondering if such basic training is still practiced in some places.  In the past week I have read about three instances where firefighters were either injured or endangered when an aerial device touched some overhead electric wires and I was puzzled as to why that would happen.  I realize that every year additional skills need to be learned, and the complexity of modern times is always expanding the field of knowledge that FF’s need to absorb in order to do their jobs properly.  But somewhere along the way, something has gone missing in basic survival training.

It’s hard to believe that fire schools have stopped teaching these critical points, but maybe some of them have.  Why?  It is also very likely that while the schools do cover these survival tips, they are not following up to see if the students have actually learned these facts.  Some people think that being told something – simply hearing it once – is the same as learning it, but we know that is not the case.  There are a lot of younger people these days who have been passed along through elementary and high school without being taught how to learn and never being required to learn what has been presented.  When they mature and attend fire academies they are sometimes not prepared to learn the vital basics that they need to not only stay alive, but also not endanger others.

Fire instructors need to keep this in mind now more than ever.  We are throwing a lot of critcal information out to recruits and others where some of them are unprepared to properly absorb and remember these things.  Many of us can do our part starting today by having a 5-minute drill in the day room emphasizing the need to always avoid leaning against an aerial truck that is in service.  Say it again and again, then have everybody “repeat after me….”

Ok, let’s get the equipment checked out now.  I’m going to start another pot of coffee, then we’ll meet back in the day room.