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5 go through female firefighters training
For the Daily Gate City
NAUVOO, Ill. - The Nauvoo Fire Protection District sent five of its members to the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign, Ill., for a female firefighters training weekend.
Vicki Gallaher, Kate Evans, Betty Ralph, Karla Pilkington and Janette Glass joined other female firefighters from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and from as far away as Canada for the Oct. 4-5 training sessions.
Ralph and Pilkington participated in the auto extrication class. They learned about the basic construction of the different cars and how to safely remove the wrecked car from around patients. They had the opportunity to use a power cutter, spreader, chisel and power ram to completely disassemble four cars.
“We had a great time learning extrication. This not only helped us gain confidence, it helped increase our skills, which we will use in vehicle accidents when there is occupant entrapment,” Ralph said.
They also learned about the problems associated with airbags present in most vehicles. While they may protect the occupants, they pose a threat to rescuers should they explode during extrication operations. The students learned to be aware of the hazards but not be afraid of them.
Gallaher, Evans and Glass took “Remembering the Tools in your Firefighters Toolbox, and Adding Some New Ones” class. This course was designed for firefighters to test their self-contained breathing apparatus skills, hooking up to a fire hydrant, pulling a hand line (hose), ventilation, basic search and forcible entry.
Gallaher has had firefighter training in the past, but she had much more hands on opportunity with this course. Evans and Glass experienced for the first time wearing self-contained breathing apparatus and going into smoke- and fire- filled buildings. All three worked in teams with other female firefighters conducting searches through dark and smoke-filled rooms, taking hose up stairs and ladders, and actually help fight fires. They all look forward to next year's female firefighters training weekend.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to develop our emergency and rescue skills so we can better serve our community,” Gallaher said.
All five women are volunteer emergency medical technicians with the Nauvoo Fire Protection District Ambulance Service.
NAUVOO, Ill. - The Nauvoo Fire Protection District sent five of its members to the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign, Ill., for a female firefighters training weekend.
Vicki Gallaher, Kate Evans, Betty Ralph, Karla Pilkington and Janette Glass joined other female firefighters from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and from as far away as Canada for the Oct. 4-5 training sessions.
Ralph and Pilkington participated in the auto extrication class. They learned about the basic construction of the different cars and how to safely remove the wrecked car from around patients. They had the opportunity to use a power cutter, spreader, chisel and power ram to completely disassemble four cars.
“We had a great time learning extrication. This not only helped us gain confidence, it helped increase our skills, which we will use in vehicle accidents when there is occupant entrapment,” Ralph said.
They also learned about the problems associated with airbags present in most vehicles. While they may protect the occupants, they pose a threat to rescuers should they explode during extrication operations. The students learned to be aware of the hazards but not be afraid of them.
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Gallaher has had firefighter training in the past, but she had much more hands on opportunity with this course. Evans and Glass experienced for the first time wearing self-contained breathing apparatus and going into smoke- and fire- filled buildings. All three worked in teams with other female firefighters conducting searches through dark and smoke-filled rooms, taking hose up stairs and ladders, and actually help fight fires. They all look forward to next year's female firefighters training weekend.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to develop our emergency and rescue skills so we can better serve our community,” Gallaher said.
All five women are volunteer emergency medical technicians with the Nauvoo Fire Protection District Ambulance Service.
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