DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS

Constant training helps North Coventry firefighters save lives

NORTH COVENTRY » To meet Chester County’s minimum certification standard, firefighters need to train only about once a year.

But that’s not enough for the Norco Fire Company, which trains three out of four weeks of every month.

“It’s about two to three hours every Monday night but one when we have a meeting,” said Deputy Chief Chuck Hipple.” Mostly everyone wants to keep their skills up.”

And that’s after a volunteer who wants to work in burning buildings has already undergone about 200 hours of basic training, said Norco Fire Captain Dan Murphy.

“I think a lot of people don’t understand how much time we put in just doing training,” said Murphy, noting that in addition to annual county training, there is annual Haz-Mat training, blood-borne pathogen training and recertification for CPR every two years.

“If you want to drive the truck, that’s a course; if you want to run the pumps and hose; that’s a course; if you want to learn how to cut vehicles apart for rescue operations, that’s one too,” Murphy said.

“Every Monday, our folks show up for more,” said Hipple. Once a year, Norco Fire Company also does control burn and live structure fire training, “usually with Birdsboro up at the Reading Fire Academy,” said Hipple.

Recently, the company invited the Pottstown Fire Department to participate in training to rescue those on a school bus. “If we get a large accident with a school bus, we’re going to be calling in mutual aid and they’re likely to be called in,” Hipple said.

And despite the fact that Pottstown does not run school buses, “they have the PART buses and it’s very similar. the skills you use for one are almost the same.”

Classes are also necessary due to the evolution in building materials which, although lighter and less expensive, are also more dangerous for firefighters.

“If you take one of the older houses, for example, you would have a good 20 to 30 minutes before a floor would collapse from a fire,” said Murphy. “In these newer houses, you have maybe 10 or 15 minutes once the fire gets into the sub-floor.”

Murphy added “and with some of the newer furniture, the materials burn hotter and faster and give off more dangerous fumes. So yeah, it’s a little more dangerous all the time.”

And the increased danger may certainly be a factor in trying to recruit and retain volunteers. “From when I started 10 years ago there has definitely been a decline in general all across the country,” Murphy said. “It’s harder for us to get volunteers. After all, it’s a lot to ask for someone to do without any kind of payment.”

Norco is luckier than most, he said, in that the company has managed to retain a steady, core group of volunteers. “they’re definitely dedicated and interested in learning more.”

Which doesn’t mean they don’t want more volunteers. This week, during fire prevention week, the community will get a chance to have a closer look at what it takes, and what

gets used, as a volunteer firefighter.

On Thursday, Oct. 7, the annual display of fire trucks and equipment will take place in the parking lot of the Coventry Mall from 6 to 9 p.m.

“That’s always a great event, and it’s a way to give a little back to the community, to thank them for supporting us,” said Hipple.

At the display and during fire prevention week visits to schools — recently

more constrained due to COVID-19 restrictions — “it’s a way to get kids familiar with us, and our equipment,” Hipple said. “So they know if they are in a fire, or an accident, they may see us before we see them so we don’t want them to be afraid to grab us and let us know they’re there.”

And on Saturday, there will be an open house at the Norco fire station on Route 724 starting at 9 a.m.

“So if people want to come down, check out the trucks or learn more about what we do, they are always welcome,” Murphy said. And that includes the Monday

training as well.

Visitors can also pick up a smoke detector while they’re there, said Hipple. “I am a big fan of smoke detectors. They have saved

so many lives. If you need one, or can’t afford one, let us know and we’ll get you as many as you need and we’ll even help you install them,” he said.

SUBMITTED PHOTO A “crash victim” is removed from a school bus during training by the Norco Fire Company.

SUBMITTED PHOTO In a school bus crash, victims sometimes have to be tended to or stabilized before being removed from the bus.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS With school back in session, volunteers are brushing up on their school bus rescue training.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS In confined space training, firefighters maneuver inside a box containing multiple wires.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Firefighters train for a “mock crash” involving school students.

SUBMITTED PHOTO School bus rescues can even require volunteers to be trained on how to access the bus from the roof.