New firefighters train at Humboldt Fire Department

HUMBOLDT, Tenn. — A few recent graduates from the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy take new positions at the Humboldt Fire Department.

“They’re working on some low-angle rescue training, which is basically training we start off with in the rope field for rescues — if you have somebody that’s down a ravine, a steep hill or an incline that they have to rescue and get in the stokes basket and to be able to get them and the rescuers up safely,” fire academy instructor Chris Chalk said.

In this exercise, they’re using stakes and ropes to practice tying and anchoring.

Chalk says this mechanical advantage helps firefighters make up for a shortage on manpower.

“They’re learning some new techniques, maybe some things they haven’t thought of before, some safety factors, and being able to make good anchors in case they don’t have them available,” Chalk said.

One of the new hires enjoys the ropes exercise.

“I would say my favorite thing to learn would be the ropes, because it’s something new, something I haven’t done before,” new firefighter Daniel Knowles said. “I didn’t really get in-depth with it at the academy. For them to come down and show us, it’s really cool.”

The firefighters also applied these skills to some scenarios where they had to rescue a victim.