Birch Run Township Fire Department

Birch Run Township

Fire Department

Training

2008 Training Schedule

Medical First Responder

Bridgeport Township will be hosting an MFR class beginning September 15, 2008. Some of our members will be attending this class in order to become medically certified.

Mutual Aid Training - Water Shuttle & Relay Pumping

On May 28, 2008, the Birch Run Township Fire Department hosted a mutual aid "practice" session at the Birch Run Expo Center. Members and apparatus from Frankenmuth and Taymouth fire departments were invited to participate.

Three tenders supplied water to fill two dump tanks, while Birch Run's pumper drafted to supply Frankenmuth’s aerial with 1000gpm for ten minutes without stoppage using 500’ of 5” hose.

Flashover Training

On April 25th & 26th 2008, some members of the Birch Run Fire Department attended an exercise intended to help firefighters understand fire behavior during flashover conditions. Training is essential to understand the signs to look for, and how to react. The Phase I Mobile Flashover Unit provided by Oakland Community College, is a laboratory where fire behavior can be observed three feet below the fire floor.

Flashover is imminent when heat generated by a fire can no longer be absorbed by ceilings, walls, and room contents. Heat begins to radiate back toward the room, raising the temperature of unburned gases, room contents, walls and flooring. Flashover occurs when the entire room and contents ignite, creating an inferno. Firefighters wear protective clothing, referred to as turn-out gear, to protect themselves. However, a flashover creates such extreme temperatures that turn-out gear cannot provide adequate protection. A firefighter trapped in a flashover has only 2 seconds to escape the harsh conditions before being overcome. This represents only 5 feet of movement once the flashover occurs.

Liquid Propane Gas Emergencies

On Thursday June 8^th 2006, some members of the Birch Run Fire Department participated in a State Certified Propane Emergency Training. This training was conducted by the Michigan Propane Gas Association and was sponsored by the Clio Area Fire Departments.

During this training, firefighters from Birch Run and approximately 10 other departments learned about the properties and principles of propane and their storage containers. Several demonstrations were conducted as a visual aid to the curriculum.

Following the classroom session, firefighters had the opportunity to experience extinguishing a live propane fire. There were five scenarios offering varying degrees of challenges that firefighters face in real world settings. Firefighters practiced properly extinguishing a gas meter fire, a 20lb grill tank fire, 100lb grill tank fire as well as the two rarest types of propane emergencies requiring the most skill; turning off the valve of a burning 250lb propane tank, and pulling the remote shut off on a bulkhead fire, which would be found at a propane supply facility.

This was an excellent training experience for our firefighters. Our members learned, hands-on, how to deal with these real emergencies in the event that we encounter one in our community. The information the participants brought back to share with the department was invaluable.

Bin Rescue

On Monday June 12^th 2006, members of the Birch Run Fire Department and various other area departments attended a training session on Bin Rescue Practices held at Star of the West Milling Company in Gera, MI.

This training was instructed by search and rescue experts from the South Eastern Michigan and Windsor Ontario Canada areas. Attendees were taught basic anchor points, advanced ropes and knots and other pertinent rescue techniques for grain bins and other difficult places. Attendees received hands-on practice including the option of being sunk into a bin full of grain and be rescued; while others practiced the rescue techniques they learned, using various tools and supplies on scene.

This training was conducted by a group of volunteers free of charge, but the information learned by the attendees was invaluable. We would like to thank Star of the West Safety Director, Wayne Bauer and his aids for this opportunity.