VIDEO: The Rapid City Fire Departmentโs firefighters participated in their yearly aircraft fire training Monday. The training is mandatory at least once a year in order for firefighters to maintain their ARFF certification. The ARFF section chief for Rapid City Fire Department, Neil Goodart, says there are many benefits of live fire training.
โThe benefit of any live fire training for firefighters is just to be able to practice our skills in as close to real world environment as possible,โ Goodart explained. The training also allows for some of the other stations in Rapid City to participate in the training as well.
Goodart adds, โThe other advantage that this gives us today is to bring our crews from in town out to the airport so that they can get an idea of how they can assist the aircraft firefighters in the event of an aircraft incident as well.โ
During the training, firefighters were taking on a simulated fire on an aircraft. They first put the oil fire out that was outside of the aircraft, then they went inside the aircraft and rescued mannequins that represented people not being able to get out of the aircraft. While the event of a fire on an aircraft is a rarity, Station 8 needs to be prepared for if the emergency ever calls for help.
