Firefighters receive training

Volunteer fire fighters from Fire District 1, Wards 1 and 2 recently completed NFPA 1403 courses. Fire Chief Jason Holcomb emphasizes continuous training of his volunteers. The LSU Fire and Emergency Services come monthly for classes.

“I’m pretty proud of my volunteers,” stated Holcomb.

With 150 volunteers on the roster and 80 active, Holcomb is chief of 10 stations in South Sabine, including, Florien, Mt. Carmel, Peason, Plainview, Rattan, Peg Leg, Lakeside, Glenwood, Toro and South Toledo.

The ongoing training of firefighters is the cornerstone of good fire protection in today’s world. However, the benefits derived from live fire training can be negated by the injuries and deaths suffered by fire fighters under unsafe and poorly supervised training conditions. Following a tragic training accident in 1982, which resulted in the deaths of two fire fighters, the Committee on Fire Service Training was urged to address the issue of live fire training evolutions in structures. The committee proceeded to develop NFPA 1403 in order to provide recognized safe practices for conducting such training evolutions. The first edition, titled Live Fire Training Evolutions in Structures, was issued in 1986. It was well received and served as the basis for live fire training evolutions throughout the United States. The document was updated in a 1992 edition. In the 1997 revision, the committee combined NFPA 1403 with NFPA 1406, Outside Live Fire Training Evolutions, into a single document. The committee appointed a task group to review the functionality of the 1997 edition in preparation for the current revision. The task group recommended a general updating of the standard. Editions are continually being updated to reflect the increased experience in Live Fire Training held these days.

The name of the school is Introduction to NFPA 1403 Live Fire Training. It was taught at the Lakeside Fire Department over on Toledo Bend on April 26. The purpose of the class was to provide a process for conducting live fire training evolutions to ensure that they are conducted in safe facilities and that the exposure to health and safety hazards for the fire fighters receiving the training is minimized.

Fire District 1, Wards 1 and 2 currently has 80 active volunteer firefighters serving their community. It currently operates 22 pieces of equipment. Out of these 22, 10 are first out engines, 10 are water tankers and two are service/rescue trucks

Fire District 1 Wards 1 and 2 currently operates out of 10 stations, located at Florien, housing one engine, one tanker and one service truck; Mt. Carmel, housing one engine and one tanker; Peason, housing one engine and one tanker; Plainview housing one engine and one tanker; Rattan, housing one engine; Peg Leg, housing one engine and two tankers; Lakeside, housing one engine, one tanker and one service truck; Glenwood, housing one engine and one tanker; Toro, housing one engine; and South Toledo, housing one engine and one tanker.

The Fire District is always seeking new members to help volunteer within the District, anyone interested can contact Jason Holcomb District Chief at 318-508-0510 or by email at southsabine1@bellsouth.net.

Volunteers need to be at a minimum of 16-years of age to qualify for Junior Firefighter or 18-years-old to qualify for Volunteer Firefighter.

Picture: Volunteer firefighters from Fire District 1, Wards 1 and 2 that completed the NFPA 1403 courses were, from left, Chaplain Russell Aucoin, John F Ross Jr., Jimmy Solar, Bill Bellamy, Donna Bellamy, Paul Dopp, Angela Aucoin, LSU Instructor Jack Canton, Willie Huvall, Randall McFarlain, Johnny Huvall, Gerry Dupre, Francis Simoneau, Sam Dupre. Not Pictured are Jack and Margie Hanke, and Kathy and Randy Brewer.