"On May 9th and from June 4th through June 15th, 2018 the West Valley Regional Fire Training Consortium hosted 11 days of Wildland live fire training at Russell Ranch in West Davis, CA. Each day 5 brush engines and 2 water tenders were requested from the member agencies. Firefighters from Davis, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, West Sacramento, Woodland, Yocha Dehe, and Winters Fire Departments sent apparatus or personnel to the drills.
Two S-219 Ignition Operations classes were hosted at the drill. Those students used various ignition devices to start fires for the responders to extinguish. The use of fire in the Wildland environment is a very common tool and has specific techniques that need to be learned and practiced. Russell Ranch is part of the University of California Davis and the burning allows for the University to study the effects of fire on the habitat.
Each day the companies were assigned a 15-30-acre parcel to use with live fire to practice mobile fire attack, which is a common tactic for fires of this type in drivable terrain. Crews also practiced taking fire weather measurements to know the conditions and how the fire could be expected to behave due to environmental factors.
In total 143 acres were burned, over 150 on duty personnel and 75 students from two S-219 Ignitions Operations classes received live fire training. There were no reported injuries.
Davis and Woodland Fire Departments deserve recognition and thanks for supplying the water tenders and one folding tank for most of the drills. Water sources are not readily available and the use of the tenders as a static water supply was critical to the drills being completed in a timely and safe manor.
Along with that, all agencies provided equipment and personnel each day of the drill and without that commitment the drill would not have been nearly as successful." -Eric Jones, captain West Sacramento Fire Department and Consortium Training Captain.
Through the new Instructional Services Agreement with Los Rios American River College the WVRFTC ran the course “Professional Training for Fire Service Personnel” from February 12 to June 26. The course offered 7.5 college credits for the in service training conducted by more than 200 Consortium members during that time.
Classes/Training Offered
Instructor 1
The Instructor 1 course was held June 4-7 at West Sacramento Station 45, instructed by Capt. Liz deDois from the Richmond Fire Department. There were 16 participants that took part in the 40 hour class, all of which received a SFT certificate for their successful completion. The Instructor 1 course prepared students to be able to teach and deliver instruction from a prepared lesson plan utilizing instructional aids and evaluation instruments. As well as also be able to adapt a lesson plan and complete the reporting requirements to local jurisdiction.
S-219
One of 2 course offerings both instructed by Chief Jeff Brand a 35 year veteran of the California Fire Service. This course introduced the roles and responsibilities of a firing boss (FIRB), common firing devices, and general firing operations and techniques.
Students in this course seamlessly integrated the manipulative portion of the training during the Wildland MCD for the WVRFTC. All 40 students received their SFT certificate of completion.
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