An evening of training at the Ada-Liberty Fire Department
By Paula Pyzik Scott
On Monday evenings, you’ll find Ada-Liberty Fire Department crew members training for whatever fate throws their way. On this July night, fire truck water storage and transfer were discussed in the station meeting room, followed by a session in the garage trying out new batteries for powering rescue equipment.
The two topics emphasize the wide range of emergencies handled by volunteer firefighters. A fire in rural Ada might be in the middle of a field or down a narrow lane. Chief Jay Epley reviewed the difficulty of turning around fire equipment and the process of transferring hundreds of gallons of water from one fire truck to another. Also working with the crew was Ada's new Assistant Fire Chief, Travis Hazelton.
The crew members were excited to try a new battery system for rescue tools, which is much lighter and faster than the department’s existing hydraulic equipment. Batteries will allow for faster response times and greater agility when extricating a person from a vehicle crash.
The discussion also covered responding to alarms at locked residences and commercial buildings. When answering an automated fire alarm, crews use heat detectors to look for hot spots. If firefighters have to quickly force entry into the building, exterior doors, garage doors and windows all have different replacement costs.
Another recent fire department acquisition is a new Can-Am HD10 Defender utility vehicle, which can be driven on roads at speeds up to 60 mph, so that it does not need to be trailered.
There are almost 20 members on the Ada-Liberty Fire Department crew. Currently, members range from 3 weeks to 55 years of firefighting experience. New crew members most often train at Apollo Career Center, which offers courses including one for new volunteer firefighters. Topics include safety, fire behavior, personal protective equipment and more.
For more information on becoming a volunteer firefighter, contact the Ada-Liberty Fire Department at [email protected] or 419-634-8070.
