The Erie County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will be hosting a women’s-only Firefighter Training on Thursday September 23rd at 6:30 PM and again on Saturday September 25th at 8:30 AM. Designed to build confidence and character through hands-on fire training, participants will move through stations including hose line advancement in live fire conditions, search and rescue focused on drags and carry techniques, one and two firefighter forced entry, and survival skills. The Training’s Lead Instructors are Assistant Chief Jess Strom (Buffalo Niagara International Airport Fire Department) and Captain Aimee Kinsley (Buffalo Fire Department Training Bureau) supported by an all-female fire instructor staff. All participants must be interior qualified female firefighters and have completed Interior Firefighting Operations/Firefighter I or equivalent.

“This series has gained much interest among the fire service in Erie County and we have received tremendous response regarding it,” said Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Dan Neaverth, Jr. “These are life-saving skills that every firefighter should be proficient in and we are excited to offer this training.”

By the end of this training firefighters will show proficiency in various methods in advancing an attack line to a predetermined location and the basic reasoning for fire attack under live fire conditions. They will also be able to demonstrate proficiency in primary and secondary search techniques including victim removal using various types of drags and carries; forcing an inward and outward swinging door using both the one and two firefighter technique; and demonstrating various survival skills while following a hose line in blacked out conditions.

For more information:

On the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, visit https://www3.erie.gov/dhses/  

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