Firefighters must not only be light on their feet but sure of foot
Ladders, staircases, and roofs. Attics, basements, and crawlspaces. Every scene is potentially an obstacle course which firefighters must navigate and negotiate, all the while wearing bulky gear, shouldering air packs, and hauling hose or heavy apparatus.
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, C Crew—Assistant Capt. Steve Himan, Engineer Steve Williams, Firefigter Chester Holt, and Firefighter Steve Sloan—successfully completed their annual agility test.
“All three turns take the test every year,” Fire Chief Sean O’Donnell said. “Time is life in our job, not just a victim’s life but a firefighter’s. So we need to be able to move quickly, smoothly, and efficiently—whatever the space, whatever the circumstances—and that takes regular practice.”
C Crew accordingly rotated through a series of skills designed to test their strength and nimbleness. Those skills include a stair climb, gear carry, ladder raise and extension, search and rescue, and forcible entry.
“Every firefighter depends on every other firefighter to be able to demonstrate every one of these skills,” O’Donnell noted. “But the agility test is also a good team-building and -bonding exercise. We don’t forget what’s at stake in the test but we have fun doing it. There’s a lot of cheering and friendly banter.”