The Missouri Division of Fire Safety funded free hose training at Fulton's Tennyson Fire Station on Tuesday for any fire agency wanting to take advantage of the opportunity. Five instructors from Engine House Training, which is in its third year of offering the program, led the training.
More than 30 firefighters participated from agencies including South Callaway, Holts Summit, Columbia, Middle Town and Lee's Summit, and 12 took part from the Fulton Fire Department.
The day-long event, which started at 8:30 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m., mixed informative lectures with hands-on activities in three different stations. Firefighters were shown how to properly lead a hose through a hallway, deploy a hose bundle and position a hose on the ground for efficiency when putting out a fire.
The training was designed for short-staffed fire stations. Steve Heidbreder, instructor with Engine House Training who has 27 years of firefighting experience, said the training is geared toward a staff of two or three firefighters.
During the morning lecture, Heidbreder said a properly stretched hose can save time and lives. He added that training is "where it all begins" and advised the firefighters to make the training realistic.