Fire-fighting, an exacting career

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34156, 18 May 1976, Page 22

Fire-fighting, an exacting career

(By

PAUL RANSLEY

It is 1.30a.m. on a coid and stark Christchurch night. The city is asleep. A loud explosion shatters the silence in a dark suburban street and a

pyjama-clad figure rushes on to the road shouting and waving frantically. It is a fire. Life and property are in danger. Seconds after the alarm is raised a group of highly trained fire-fighters are on their way to the scene; men who will take extreme risks to save the. lives and property of others.

These men take with them the knowledge and skill that is required of a modern fireman. More than likely the fire will be brought ' under control with little damage and no injuries.

The time when a fireman was just a glorified water-squirter has passed. Today, he is a well trained professional backed up by modern techniques and equipment. The fireman must learn to cope with many situations, from rushing into burning buildings and rescuing unconscious, victims to “talking down” potential suicides and clearing roads of spilled chemicals. He must not only be capable of handling the physical demands, on him, but also be intelligent end

alert to cope with the complexity of modern equipment and firefighting methods. The training officer at the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Service’s headquarters, in Kilmore Street, (Divisional Officer R. T. Nightingale) says the educational standard of the average recruit has increased over the last few years. “It is necessary for a fireman to have a good grounding in mathematics, hydraulics, mechanics and physics, and it is not an easy job to select a fireman. “A good fireman must be academically inclined, have an aggressive nature, and the ability to work in a team. Team work is important. Fireman must be able to trust each other 100 per cent in a fire situation.”

The Fire Service in Christchurch recently advertised for eight recruits. It had 214 applicants. A 21-year-old recruit, Brent Duggan, had been in the fire service only two days when he was interviewed by “The Press.” He joined the service after a short career as a company sales representative. Hi said he was attracted by the challenge of fire-fighting and the element of danger in the job. “It is a completely different occupation. I found being a,, sales representative got 1 tedious at times. In tie Fixe Service

the chances of promotion and pay are better,” he said.

Mr Duggan’s first eight weeks in the Fire Service will be a period of fairly intensive training in which discipline will play an important role.

There is still room for individualism and flair, according to Mr Nightingale, but fighting a fire is rather like playing rugby in that there are set plays and a fireman must know what he has to do before he gets to a fire. After basic training a recruit is classified operational, which means he can go out and fight fires, but his training does not end. Firemen have an advanced training course they can attend at the T echnical Institute and lecturers from outside the sendee give instruction. The Fire Service trains on all major buildings in the central city. This serves two purposes: to give the fireman practice in fighting high-rise fires; and to map out plans in case a particular building does catch fire. As well as demanding a high standard from their men, the city’s fire chiefs demand a high standard of equipment and planning. Mr Nightingale says that the equipment used by Christchurch firemen ranks with the best in the world. Before anything is bought it is thoroughly investigated to make sure it suits local conditions.