Navy Firefighting Training
Firefighting is a crucial part of the Navy's training. There is nothing more dangerous than a fire at sea. In the Navy, every soldier is a firefighter and they train accordingly throughout their careers.
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Recruit Training
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In recruit training, sailors learn how to extinguish fires, escape from smoke-filled compartments, deal with watertight doors, operate oxygen breathing apparatus and carry fire hoses.
Shipboard Training
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After sailors complete their initial training, they head out to their ships. Ship commanders often run fire drills and sailors again practice firefighting procedures.
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Firefighter School
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There are also special firefighting schools where Navy personnel receive more in-depth training about types of fires, operating and maintaining equipment and techniques for fighting fires. Theses schools also train with real fires that reach up to 225 degrees.
Farrier Firefighting School
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One school that the Navy uses to teach advanced techniques is the Farrier Firefighting School in Norfolk, Virginia. It is named after Chief Petty Officer Gerald Farrier, who died while fighting a fire on the USS Forrestal in 1967.
Importance
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Fires don't break out on ships very often, so there are no dedicated firefighters on ships. However, when they do happen, fires can be devastating and they can happen anywhere, so everyone has to be trained on how to stop fires before they spread.
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References
- Photo Credit french navy ship image by Wimbledon from Fotolia.com
