White Rock Firefighters Suit Up
CREW TRAINS ON TANKER SHUTTLE OPERATIONS
Orange, hot flames amid a fiery inferno fast-forwarded some on-hands training for White Rock firefighters.
The department recently teamed up with other departments to sharpen its firefighting and operational skills. White Rock firefighters joined forces with Pea Ridge, Northeast Benton County (NEBCO) and Little Flock fire departments in northwest Arkansas, said White Rock fire chief Jason Bowman.
During the training, firefighters gained experience in working tanker shuttle operations. As they trained, Pea Ridge’s department was able to use the water shuttle times for their ISO training, he said.
The Pea Ridge Fire Department was required to maintain 250 gallons a minute for two hours, he said.
Firefighters tackled the burning, dilapidated home on Green Street, as part of a planned burn.
In all, the four fire departments collectively battled the blaze for several hours that evening, he said.
Having the opportunity to work
a fire provides invaluable training. “You can’t put a price tag on getting good hands-on training and learning the dynamics of fire behavior,” Bowman said.
The collaboration of training is part of a greater plan to join forces and strengthen various departments.
The department is reviewing and establishing mutual aid agreements with several neighboring fire departments, almost all of whom rely heavily on volunteers to man fires, he said.
The White Rock department has mutual aid agreements with Noel, Stella, Washburn in Missouri and Bella Vista and Pea Ridge in Arkansas, Bowman said. Some of those departments have volunteers who, depending on when the emergency occurs, may not be available, Bowman said. Streamlining the mutual aid agreements and assigning three departments to respond every structure fire can help ensure safety and manpower issues, he said.
Bowman took over the reins as White Rock Fire Chief in November. He works full-time for the Bella Vista Fire Department but now has more time in his schedule, due to a change.
Bowman recently transitioned from a captain position to a fire investigator, mainly covering commercial structures. Those tasks are now handled during four 10-hour days. With the schedule change and some additional free time, he decided to become involved and give back to his community.
As he works to improve the White Rock department, Bowman believes that strategic planning can help small community fire departments work together and help each other.
Each volunteer is required to obtain 16 hours a month of training. Approximately 11 White Rock firefighters are currently working toward Essential I and II firefighter levels, he said.
Training together enables the firefighters to build working relationships with each other. That familiarity with each other and operations practice will help them more efficiently fight fires together in the future, he said.
Bowman is committed to working with other departments for training purposes. The White Rock department teamed up Monday night to train with the Bella Vista department during CPR training.
“There are strategic operations to working together to better serve our community,” he said.
The department will participate in another structure burn in the near future, he added.