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July 30, 2010 For more information, contact: Foam Training Classes Planned for Firefighters in Region Two free foam response trainings are planned in the Meramec Region in August and September, and firefighters in the Meramec Region are encouraged to attend. Trainings are planned:
The classes are offered free of charge through the cooperative efforts of the Missouri Emergency Response Commission (MERC), Missouri Office of Homeland Security, the Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee (MREPC) and Meramec Regional Planning Commission. Kraig Bone, an instructor of Local Emergency Training Specialists, LLS, will present the trainings, using a MERC grant secured by the MREPC. The eight-hour flammable liquid program was developed by National Foam and is considered one of the most comprehensive foam firefighting programs in the nation. It is designed to assist with emergency response preparedness and to help increase the technical competence of firefighters. The class begins with a four-hour classroom session and is followed by live fire evolutions, demonstrating the proper techniques for gaining access and controlling ignited and un-ignited flammable liquids. Fifteen participants are needed to hold the class. Firefighters participating in the trainings will need full personal protective gear to participate in the live burns and receive certification. The Potosi Fire Department is hosting the Potosi training while the Sullivan Fire Department is hosting the Sullivan training. To register, firefighters should visit the SEMA training page at http://training.dps.mo.gov/sematraining.nsf/TrainingSchedule or submit to MERC a Student Registration Form, downloadable from the MERC website. For additional information on the class, persons may contact Michael White, MERC training coordinator, at 417-483-2069 or by email at merctraining@mwhitefire.com, or Tammy Snodgrass of MRPC at 573-265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org or trainer Kraig Bone at 573-438-7760 or 573-330-0211. Previously, the MREPC secured grant funds to host hazmat awareness and operations trainings in each county served by the MREPC—Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps and Washington counties. This time, foam training is offered in two locations. “We want our emergency responders to have easy access to the training without having to drive many miles,” explained Snodgrass. Fire departments interested in hosting trainings should contact Snodgrass with suggestions. The Meramec Regional Emergency Planning Committee works with local governments as well as the private sector to maintain plans responsive to chemical hazards, which seriously threaten the area. The committee periodically coordinates and offers training opportunities for emergency responders in the region. Quarterly meetings are open to the public. Meramec Regional Planning Commission, a voluntary council of local governments serving the eight-county Meramec Region, provides staff support for the local emergency planning committee. |