GRUNDY AREA VOCATIONAL CENTER: Fire Science

By Press release submission

Feb 27, 2019

Grundy Area Vocational Center issued the following announcement on Feb. 24.

Fire Science has been off to a busy start this semester. Both basic and advanced students spent many hours at Morris Fire Station #2 using the Chief Shabbona Fire Academy SCBA training trailer. Here, students are taught important survival skills in zero-visibility. The objective is to make the student comfortable working under stress while using their Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. They are also taught search-and-rescue techniques and communications while working in dark conditions which replicate those caused by smoke in a structure fire.

Captain Dave Wiechen of the Morris Fire Protection District also stopped by to teach our Fire Science I students building construction. Knowing how buildings are built and how they will react under heat and fire conditions are very important aspects of the fire service. Captain Dave brought in many props during his 2-day class to ensure that the students had a great basic understanding of common types of building construction. Thank you Cap!

GAVC Fire Science also graciously accepted some donated equipment which we have already put to great use. Morris Fire Chief Tracey Steffes worked with Grundy County EMA to help secure some outdated emergency radios which were reprogrammed for our training use. Battalion Chief Seth Dale of the Darien-Woodridge FPD (and part-time member of the Morris Fire Dept) secured over 25 sets of used firefighting gear from Darien-Woodridge which he also donated to our program. Without equipment such as this, we would never be able to teach our practical firefighting skills. Thank you to all departments for helping keep our program moving forward.

Original source can be found here.