Training for wild fire – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News

Document text

Training for wild fire By Photos by Andy Atkinson Updated: Jun 24, 2022 03:30 PM A A 3 View all photos About 50 firefighters trained on grass fire suppression Friday in Central Point. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] A live fire training held Friday in Central Point gave recruits a hands-on opportunity to apply what they learned in an ODF Fire School classroom. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Firefighters take part in wild fire training Friday off Truax Road in Central Point. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Roughly 50 firefighters from Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District took part in live fire training sessions Thursday and Friday on a 30-acre field at the corner of Truax and Newland roads in Central Point. The training allows crews to closely mimic a grass fire response in a controlled environment. For some of the firefighters, this was their first exposure to fighting a wildland fire. The training provides the newest recruits with a hands-on opportunity to apply what they learned in an ODF Fire School classroom over the past two weeks. Firefighters worked on pump-and-roll tactics and fire ground communications to refresh skills needed for the 2022 fire season.