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Firefighters hope they don’t have to rescue one of their own. But they want to be prepared for such a situation, according to an assistant chief with the Leavenworth Fire Department.
And that’s why the department hosted a “mayday” class this week.
“They key is to be ready,” Assistant Fire Chief Mike Lingenfelser said.
He said about 20 firefighters attended the two-day class. In addition to 10 members of the Leavenworth Fire Department, there were firefighters from Fort Leavenworth, Lawrence, Leawood and Shawnee in the class.
The course, which began Tuesday and wrapped up Thursday, dealt with how to handle mayday calls from a command standpoint as well as the practice of techniques for rescuing downed firefighters, according to Jim Ogle, one of the instructors.
Ogle, a member of the New York City Fire Department, taught the course for a company called Task Force 1.
In addition to the two-day course, the instructors taught a one-day class Wednesday. Lingenfelser said there were about 20 students in this class including 10 from the Leavenworth Fire Department.
He said one of the advantages of having the outside instructors is they can speak from experience.
There was a cost for taking the courses, but Lingenfelser said the Leavenworth Fire Department was offered some free slots because it hosted the classes.
The classes were held at the Fire Department’s headquarters on 20th Street. The city’s new $215,000 public safety training facility, which is located at the fire station, was utilized for the courses.
“We’re going to pretty much use the entire building,” Ogle said.
He said the training facility is a good size.
“It’s got a little bit of everything you need in it,” he said.
Lingenfelser said 20 Leavenworth firefighters have gone through the two classes offered this week. They will be able to teach the subject matter to others in the Leavenworth Fire Department.
Firefighters hope they don’t have to rescue one of their own. But they want to be prepared for such a situation, according to an assistant chief with the Leavenworth Fire Department.
And that’s why the department hosted a “mayday” class this week.
“They key is to be ready,” Assistant Fire Chief Mike Lingenfelser said.
He said about 20 firefighters attended the two-day class. In addition to 10 members of the Leavenworth Fire Department, there were firefighters from Fort Leavenworth, Lawrence, Leawood and Shawnee in the class.
The course, which began Tuesday and wrapped up Thursday, dealt with how to handle mayday calls from a command standpoint as well as the practice of techniques for rescuing downed firefighters, according to Jim Ogle, one of the instructors.
Ogle, a member of the New York City Fire Department, taught the course for a company called Task Force 1.
In addition to the two-day course, the instructors taught a one-day class Wednesday. Lingenfelser said there were about 20 students in this class including 10 from the Leavenworth Fire Department.
He said one of the advantages of having the outside instructors is they can speak from experience.
There was a cost for taking the courses, but Lingenfelser said the Leavenworth Fire Department was offered some free slots because it hosted the classes.
The classes were held at the Fire Department’s headquarters on 20th Street. The city’s new $215,000 public safety training facility, which is located at the fire station, was utilized for the courses.
“We’re going to pretty much use the entire building,” Ogle said.
He said the training facility is a good size.
“It’s got a little bit of everything you need in it,” he said.
Lingenfelser said 20 Leavenworth firefighters have gone through the two classes offered this week. They will be able to teach the subject matter to others in the Leavenworth Fire Department.
