Area Firefighters Complete Training by Taking Final Practical

WAKEFIELD, MI - Saturday, May 30, 2009 - The Final Practical Exam for the FF-1 class was held this morning, Saturday, May 30th, at 8:00 AM at the Wakefield Fire Hall. Trainees have been attending classes since January 5th, and these examinations were the final step in the process.  There were ten testing stations and nine people were tested. 

Two of the tests were involving self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) -- equipment and operational check and donning the equipment. Trainees were asked to describe the steps in making sure the SCBA is in good, safe working order, and then they were given seventy seconds to properly don the equipment. Other tests involved search and rescue; disoriented firefighter; ladder technique; ventilation; forcible entry; hose nozzle fire stream; water supply stream; and ropes which involved tying a series of knots used in fighting fires.

All nine passed each test with flying colors. Several of the instructors and testers told the Chronicle that this was one of the best groups to go through the practical exams in quite some time. All of the trainees demonstrated that they did their homework and that their training was effective.

The testing process undergone this morning meets national NFPA1500 Standards and, is identical to what Detroit Firefighters go through. According to Michigan Law, each and every firefighter in Michigan, whether full-time firefighters or volunteers, are required to go through the same training and pass the same tests. This in-depth training and testing  is crucial to insure the safety of the students, fellow firefighters, and the citizens they train so hard to protect.

Passing the FF-1 Final Practical Exam today were: William Anderson, Wakefield Volunteer Fire Deparmtnet; Danielle Sandmon, Ironwood Volunteer Fire Department; Heather Fabry and Neil Balduc, Bessemer Township Volunteer Fire Department; Ken Hoeft, Lake Gogebic; Zack Brentar, Adam Kennedy, Joshua Ellsworth and Robert Brentar, Ironwood Township Volunteer Fire Department; and Samuel Brady, Bruce Crossing. Robert Brentar and Zack Brentar are father and son. They are the first father-son duo to complete the FF-1 requirement together. They weren't in the same class, but they tested out with one another.

The instructors were: Jamie Chiapuzio, Joe Cayer, Brandon Snyder, Kim Spedowski, Bob Tervonen, Dick Caudill, and Curtis Van Dusen. The Training Coordinator for the Michigan Fire Fighters Training Council is Dick Caudill. Assisting with the testing were: Ken Jacobson, Jordan Reller, Jamie Peite, Rich Bruneau, Lou Boetto and Ted Finco. The hosting department for the test was the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department.

The testing finished at about 11:30 AM and Ted Finco treated the trainees, testers and instructors to a delicious lunch. The Chronicle would like to congratulate all of the trainees; the instructors; and the testers for a job well done.