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MOBILE FIRE TRAINING LAB TRAVELS OHIO

 

State Fire Marshal Robert R. Rielage announced today the availability of a mobile fire training lab, developed by the Ohio Fire Academy.

"We are pleased to provide Ohio’s firefighters with this innovative training tool," said Marshal Rielage. "Our hope is to better prepare firefighters for the treacherous conditions they often face."

The Ohio Fire Academy staff in Reynoldsburg has designed and created a unique "Mobile Fire Training Lab" to teach firefighters how to identify pre-flashover conditions. The Mobile Fire Lab is one of many tools the Fire Academy uses to provide firefighters with realistic, hands-on training of fire behavior.

"Failure to identify rapid fire development (flashover) can be fatal to firefighters," stated Frank Conway, Superintendent of the Ohio Fire Academy.

When firefighters respond to a fire, they must make a rapid assessment of the situation facing them. Smoke and flames create a "life hazard" for the firefighters and understanding the stages of the fire growth is extremely important for firefighter safety. The fire origin can be close to the flashover stage (simultaneous ignition of room contents) or back draft (fire explosion) and be extremely dangerous to a firefighter, even with full protective clothing. Firefighters need to recognize the warning signs of these potentially dangerous conditions and respond appropriately. The "Mobile Fire Training Lab" allows the firefighter to experience a pre-flashover environment under safely controlled conditions as well as identify a condition called "roll over," which usually occurs prior to flashover.

With its instructors, this mobile lab will travel across Ohio demonstrating the different phases of fire from incipient stage through flashover. The Ohio Fire Academy strives to provide the most realistic training in a safe manner to Ohio’s fire service. Quality education and training are essential to ensure the safety of firefighters in our state.

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The Division of State Fire Marshal is part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. The Fire Marshal’s Office trains firefighters, enforces the Ohio Fire Code, investigates the cause and origins of fires and explosions, provides fire prevention programs, and performs other life safety services.

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