Applicants sign up for firefighter course

Most in the class are volunteer firefighters seeking to improve their skills.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
EAST PALESTINE -- Fire Chief Brett Todd said although a dozen people signed up for the East Palestine Fire Department's 240-hour professional firefighter course, few will actually seek to become full-time firefighters.
Todd said most of the people enrolled in the class are volunteer firefighters in Columbiana and Mahoning counties, including some from Springfield and Beaver townships in Mahoning County, and from East Palestine, Glenmoor, Wellsville and Highlandtown fire departments in Columbiana County.
The course is time consuming -- 16 hours each week until 240 hours are completed -- and expensive at $800.
Todd said the class began Sept. 14 and will conclude Dec. 23. Then the class members will return in January to take the state exam.
Those who pass will receive a Firefighter I and Firefighter II certification, which is good for life, he said. The state requires volunteer firefighters to successfully complete a 36-hour course, and no further training is needed.
Todd said most of those enrolled in the course won't seek full-time employment as firefighters, but just want to improve their firefighting knowledge and skills and become better volunteer firefighters in their own home departments.
"These guys are dedicated to firefighting and to their communities," Todd said. "That they want to commit to all this extra time when they don't have to shows that dedication."
Professional course
East Palestine Fire Department offers the 36-hour basic course for volunteer firefighters each spring, but it has been about three years since the department offered the professional course, Todd said.
The professional course covers the basics of firefighting and much of the same information as the 36-hour basic firefighting course. The chief said, however, that the training is much more in-depth than the basic course and covers the science of firefighting in much greater detail, including fire alarm and sprinkler systems and how to conduct fire inspections.
Much of the course work is classroom discussion, but there are also practical-skills training and testing such as techniques for approaching and entering a burning building, search and rescue, use of ladders, hoses and self- contained breathing apparatuses.
The course is held in the Clark Street Fire Station, which could make the classroom experience interesting if the city firefighters are called to a fire during the class, Todd said.
"I hope we don't have that happen, but the good thing is, I have a class full of firefighters," Todd said. "If we get a fire call, I might just tell them to grab some turnout gear and hop on a truck."