An unseasonably warm fall day provided the perfect back drop for Perry Health Care’s hands-on fire extinguisher in-service training, a part of the ongoing education program provided to the Perry Health Care staff.
The Perry Volunteer Fire Department conducted the Thursday training, with Fire Chief Chris Hinds, First Assistant Chief Brian Eiteman and firefighter Aimee Bane leading the instruction. The trio taught staff members the proper use and operation of a fire extinguisher.
The instructors used a specially designed fire simulator and extinguisher system for the training. The fire simulator uses a controlled LP-fueled fire and extinguishers filled with water and air. This allows training to be conducted in a controlled and safe environment.
The members of the Perry Volunteer Fire Department stressed some important points about the use of extinguishers during a fire, including:
- A typical fire extinguisher will operate for only one to two minutes.
- A fire extinguisher will not fully extinguish most fires but will buy you a brief amount of time to evacuate.
- In a facility, the best thing to do is close all doors and safely evacuate the residents and visitors.
- Leave the fighting of the fire to the fire department, who has the proper equipment and training to handle firefighting.
The fire department provides the training as a public service to many area organizations and institutions.
