June 18: We had a busy and exciting morning planned for our Fire Camp kids!

The Cadet group went off-site to Trinley Park to learn from the LFD Water Rescue Team. They practiced throwing rope bags, explored the rescue boats, learned about boat operation safety, and created a movable control point using webbing and carabiners. The most exciting part of the trip? Riding up and down the Schuylkill River in the rescue boats!

Meanwhile at the Limerick Fire Station, the rest of the crews rotated through five engaging, hands-on stations:

At the Forcible Entry Station, the kids learned how to enter through a locked or blocked door rather than cutting holes in a house to gain entry. "Try before you pry" was the motto, and the kids got to use a halligan bar with leverage to properly force through a door before having door control and entering with a deployed hose.

At the EMS Station, the kids learned the basic components of emergency medical services. They also learned how to use the manual and power stretchers, bandage cuts and wounds, tour the ambulance, discussed various pieces of medical equipment, and even got to secure a fellow crew member to a backboard before picking them up, and putting them on the stretcher.

At the Confined Space Station, the kids rescued a person "trapped" in a tight space. They worked as a team to safely send in three rescuers in a rotation. The rescuers checked air for any toxic gases, attached the stokes basket to a rope system, and then safely hauled the patient out of the confined space to safety.

In the station training room, Chuckie from EMS taught the kids how to perform CPR and use an AED.

We also welcomed special guests from Montgomery County Public Safety who staffed our fifth station:

FieldComm 1 made an appearance, giving the kids a tour of this specialized communications unit. They learned about the role of 911 dispatchers and how FieldComm is used during fire, police, and large-scale emergency incidents and events. The kids enjoyed watching the camera feeds from inside the truck!

The UAV (Drone) Unit was also on-site to demonstrate how unmanned aerial vehicles—commonly known as drones—are used in search and rescue missions. The kids learned about the different types of drones, their thermal imaging capabilities, and got to view real-time aerial footage on an iPad.

We hope everyone had a fun day, and we can't wait to see you tomorrow for another fun day!