Guilford Firefighters Attend Intense 80 Hour Training
The Guilford Fire Department conducted an intense 80 hour Structural Collapse Technician Course over a two week period. Twenty-four members of the department took part in the course that included classroom lectures and practical skill evolution's. This course was funded through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grant. SPEC Rescue International provided training that was developed by FEMA structural engineers. Topics included structural collapse training for assessing and mitigating different collapses in all types of buildings to facilitate search and rescue operations. Theory, principle and relationships of how and why collapse events occur and how to mitigate them for successful search and rescue operations were covered. The training integrated elements of physics and engineering concepts. Shoring construction, movement of heavy objects with the use of levers and cranes were taught. Physical breaching of concrete and steel in a safe and efficient manner for the purpose of victim rescue were some of the many topics covered in this course. This valuable training has provided members with the tools and education to be certified as Structural Collapse Technicians.
Guilford Fire Department continues to provide its members with the latest in training and education so that citizens may benefit from the services the department has to offer.
