| Each and every year, firefighters wishing to remain 'interior' qualified (class-A) must go through a multipart process.
The first step is fairly easy. It simply involves passing a complete physical.
Then comes something we call 'fit test' where every firefighter is fitted and tested for their proper mask size. Too much air leakage around the mask seal could result in disqualification at this point.
After that round is completed, each firefighter must now attend a 'Scott-Pak' refresher class. At this class firefighters will refresh their knowledge of, and then prove they know how to; check, don, activate, shut down, remove and restore to ready service, this ever evolving piece of firefighting equipment.
The forth, and final step involves participating in what we call a 'Smokehouse' drill. Each firefighter must now don the 'Scott-Pak' and enter a dark, smoky, hot environment and perform various tasks, such as; climbing and/or descending stairways, locating and removing victims, breaching walls, crossing open beams, getting out of entanglements (loose wires), practicing a low profile by partially removing the air pack, sounding a 'mayday' drill where the nearest window is your immediate exit, and finally, repelling practice. All this is done in complete darkness, where they can't see more than a foot in front of them.
The following photos are of one such drill hosted on April 29th 2009.
All photos are courtesy of Joe Goetz Jr.
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