Firefighters get prepped on the latest techniques

PROVO — Firefighting may be a tough job physically, but as firefighters and other public safety personnel learned Friday and Saturday, it's also a job that requires scientific knowledge and training.

More than 400 firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians descended on Utah Valley State College and its Utah Fire and Rescue Academy to learn the new techniques. They came from surrounding states and at least one from as far away as Georgia. The school is among the most highly respected in fire training circles, noted Jeff Maxfield, senior director of the academy.

The newest training techniques involve the world of terrorism, he said, but were not emphasized at this training. They will be included in follow-up courses, he said.

"We'll be dealing with TATP, (an explosive) that is becoming the weapon of choice for terrorists," he said.

The explosive was used in the recent London bombings and is highly unstable; the powder will explode when it's stepped on.

The classroom and hands-on training took place at the 10-acre academy near the Provo Airport and in UVSC classrooms. The academic program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Emergency Services Management, but it also increases the knowledge of emergency personnel who may not be currently seeking a diploma.

The academy has a role assignment from the Utah State Board of Regents to teach the academic program and provides training required under the National Incident Management System overseen by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for communities that receive federal homeland security funding, Maxfield said. Lutz said one such course for emergency responders was included at the fire school this year. Small communities have difficulty organizing their own because of costs, Lutz said.

Lutz oversees the basic training and outreach programs.

Among the 25 courses taught, many by regional and national experts, were:

• Vehicle extrication.

• How to pressurize a burning building to avoid greater damage and to increase safety for firefighters.

• The technical aspects of how to rescue firefighters trapped in a building.

• How to treat patients injured in the wilderness.

• Investigating arson in wildland fires.

"That's been very motivating," academy spokesman Dan Schilling said, citing the popularity of the arson investigation classes. Utah has seen several wildland arson fires recently, Maxfield said.