Fire District No. 1 gets a pair of dummies
The new manikins at Shoshone County Fire District No. 1.
Photo by CPT. JOHN MILLER
OSBURN — It looks as though that the firefighters from Shoshone County Fire District No. 1 are going to have to be carrying around some real dummies going forward.
SCFD No. 1 Cpt. John Miller explains that thanks to a $1,800 Idaho Fire Chiefs Association (IFCA) firefighter license plate fund (FFLP) grant, the district has recently procured two new training manikins.
“The manikins are fire-specific manikins that are absolutely essential for keeping firefighters prepared for real-life emergencies," he explained in a press release. "These rescue manikins will be used to educate new firefighter volunteer recruits in the Fire Department’s annual fire academy."
In the academy, the manikins will be placed in smoke rooms and confined spaces. Recruits will learn how to perform search-and-rescues and extrications.
"These drills will allow the new volunteer firefighters to be better prepared and more informed on fire safety procedures and fire rescues," Miller said. "Current volunteers and paid firefighters will benefit, as well when they use the manikins in their weekly training.”
Firefighters can also use these manikins for EMS training situations as well.
The two new manikins, one adult size weighing 165 pounds and one child size weighing 65 pounds, are replacing the district's 15-20-year-old manikin that is missing parts and has been damaged through years of training. The newer ones are also much more lifelike.
Weight can be added to each if needed, depending on the situation. SCFD No. 1 plans to donate the old dummy to the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office for their training purposes.
Cpt. Miller invites the community to check out the Shoshone County District No. 1 Facebook page for a chance to give input on the names of the new manikins and they will have everyone vote the following week.
"SCFD No. 1 would like to thank the Idaho Chiefs Association for the award," Miller added. "SCFD No. 1 was last awarded the FFLP grant in 2016 and used the funds for children’s public education material."