New Training Equipment For Rockland’s Volunteer Firefighters Unanimously Approved By County Legislators

 Rockland County’s volunteer firefighters will be able to learn the signs of two of the most life-threating conditions they may face – flashovers and backdrafts – following approval of new firefighting equipment by the Rockland County Legislature.

“This training equipment allows our firefighters to better prepare for the many fires they battle throughout the course of the year,” Rockland County Legislature Public Safety Committee Chairman Paul Cleary said. “The training can never stop if we want to ensure their safety and their ability to safely take care of us. This is the continuation of County government’s commitment to making sure our volunteers have the tools they need so they can be as prepared and safe as possible.”

In recent years, County Legislators have approved more than $20 million for bonding and projects on the grounds of the Rockland County Fire Training Center, including the $9 million replacement of the Burn Building that gives trainees the ability to practice fighting fires in a controlled environment.

Legislators have now approved $104,000 for the purchase of flashover and backdraft simulators. The county executive has also backed the new modules. Older equipment has taken a beating from past use and replacement is necessary, according to County Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear.

The new flashover simulator will help firefighters learn how to recognize the signs of a flashover and to react accordingly. A flashover occurs when a room heats up to massive temperatures (its ignition point) and the room bursts into flame, Director Kear said.

A backdraft is similar but occurs when no air is present, then a door or window opens, feeding oxygen into the space and causing an explosion of the gases that have built up, he said.

The simulators allow firefighters to learn the signs of both potential conditions along with the actions to take if they are occurring, he said. Flashovers and backdrafts are considered highly life-threating, often nonsurvivable, conditions.

“We have grown accustomed to expecting our volunteer firefighters to be there when we most need them,” Legislator Cleary said. “But every time they face a significant fire, they are putting their lives on the line. I want to express the gratitude of the entire County Legislature for everything these firefighters do, from putting in hours of their time to voluntarily train and respond to their willingness to sacrifice time away from their families because their duty has called them into action.”