Firefighting 101 -- September 10, 2009

One day before the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, OLLI members visited the Vernon "Butch" Gudat Fire Training Academy in Peoria.

Chief Greg Walters and Captain Marty Baker welcomed the group to the academy, and discussed the history of the Peoria Fire Department. The academy, which opened in 1978, hosts classes and training sessions for local, state, and federal agencies, including a seven-week mandatory training course for all new firefighters.

The academy was renamed after Chief Gudat in 1983, after his death in the line of duty earlier that year. The academy is also home to the actual firebox that was pulled at that fire.

There are 12 fire stations within the Peoria Fire Department, responsible for covering 50 square miles of the city. The department, which is on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, answers nearly 18,000 emergency calls annually. Firefighters work a 24/48 shift, meaning they work 24 hours on, then 48 hours off.

Firefighters are required to have a high school diploma or GED, and must be 18 years old to apply for a job (19 years old to be hired). Chief Walters said the position of Peoria firefighters are one of the most sought-after jobs in the area; more than 700 applications are received each time there is an opening at the department.

During the demonstration part of our visit, Chief Walters explained that a fire, left unchecked by doors or walls, doubles in size every 90 seconds. That exponential growth rate makes response times incredibly important -- Walters says the PFD's average response time of 4-6 minutes is excellent when compared to national averages.

Captain Baker showed OLLI members the protective equipment each firefighter must don before responding to every call. That equipment, which fully encapsulates the firefighters, includes a kevlar helmet with harness, fire-resistant pants and coats, Nomex protective hoods, boots, gloves, mask, and oxygen tank. The equipment, a far cry from the old leather helmets and rubber coats once worn by firefighters, costs approximately $9,000 per firefighter. The PFD employs approximately 200 firefighters.

Several adventurous OLLI'vers took a turn putting out fires at the burn pad. First, they were trained on the basics of using a fire extinguisher. Chief Walters said to remember just four letters: PASS. P - pull the pin, A -- aim the nozzle at the bottom of the fire, S -- squeeze the handle, and S -- sweep side to side. Two trays were ignited with a mixture of diesel and gasoline, and five brave OLLI members took their turn at extinguishing the flames.

OLLI extends a big thanks to Chief Walters, Captain Baker, and Captain Buckingham for being incredibly gracious hosts for our group. For more information about the Peoria Fire Department, please visit www.ci.peoria.il.us/firedepartment