Fire Department Drill Provides Firefighters Training and Practice

The Andover Fire Department holds training drill to provide practice to its volunteer responders. Photo: Jeff Hall

ANDOVER – On the 3rd Monday of each month, Andover Fire Dept holds a training to practice their skills in a safe and real environment. On August 19, AFD’s Lieutenant Andrew Perkins planned this month’s drill, set up and directed the training exercise. Participating in the roll up training included many AFD members, Andover EMS, as well as our mutual aid partner Salisbury NH Fire Rescue.

Acting as if this was a real emergency, the drill was held in a vacant building, graciously offered by Timber East Lumber Yard on Plains Road. Using an unused channel on the radio from the dispatch center, Lieutenantt Perkins acted as a live dispatcher. He directed the alert response to the “building fire” with entrapment on the 2nd floor.

Responding to the 911 call, the drill started with all fire and rescue apparatus for AFD, as well as Salisbury FD responding to the scene.

The first truck arrived on scene, it was designated the “attack truck.” The first fireman on the scene became “incident command.” The next truck that came in, set up behind the attack truck and acted as a backup pumper. The third truck came in, laid a four inch supply line from the backup pumper to the draft site and became the water supply at the dry hydrant on Blackwater River. Andover EMS set up and assisted with patient care once the victim was rescued from the building.

A “practice door” was borrowed from the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid, to use during the Andover Fire Department’s training drill. Photo: Jeff Hall

The first obstacle was in the setup, breaching a practice door prop, made for training exercises. Our crews forced entry, opening this very secure door to gain access. Once the door was opened, the attack crew entered the smoke-filled house to search for the trapped person (a crash dummy). The trapped person was rescued and brought outside to Andover EMS. After the first team ran the exercise, Lieutenant Perkins held a debriefing, getting input from all involved. He discussed what happened and how to improve.

The next attack team repeated the house entry and rescue efforts. Every member on scene had a chance to practice their jobs in a real life like setting. Mother Nature participated by sending us heavy rain and lightning to make everything seem like a real emergency.

We appreciate the practice door that was borrowed from Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid, the artificial smoke machine from City of Franklin Fire Department, and Timber East for the use of their building. Thank you Lieutenant Perkins and to all the first responders that participated and made this a successful training night.