After knocking out their firefighter certification at Collin College, Garland Fire Department’s latest batch of rookies recently finished honing their skills with the department’s Garland Way training program. And some of them will soon be working on shift.
Fire academies don’t cover basic skills such as aerial operations and pumping. So before Garland’s new recruits get released to station life, they get a crash course on the Garland Fire Department’s method of firefighting.
For 20 days, Garland fire instructors taught the new rookie class about company evolutions, truck ops, ambulance stretchers, hose deployment, fire science, ladder use, courtyard lays, fire department connections, high-rise packs, small engines/lawn equipment, driving, search and rapid intervention team and more. Each recruit also had to earn their Class B driver’s license, accomplish the church raise climbing maneuver and complete a 24-hour shift.
Of the 23 rookies, six already have their Emergency Medical Technician certification and will soon be assigned to stations. The remaining 17 will soon be sent to EMT school.
Information and photo provided by city of Garland.