After a two-year pause, the NPS Structural Firefighter Refresher course was delivered at Glen Canyon Recreational Area (NRA) on February 22-24, 2022. Structural firefighters from Glen Canyon NRA, Glacier Bay National Park, Zion National Park, and Big Bend National Park participated in the refresher, which is usually given several times a year, but was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. The NPS Structural Fire Program is proud to meet the mission of protecting lives and property while adhering to restrictions and taking safety precautions. The firefighter refresher course provides hands-on and live fire training that may not be available at some parks.
Mike Schell, chief of operations for the NPS Structural Fire Program, served as lead instructor. He was joined by Instructors from Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Glacier National Park. The instructors and students made introductions on the first day to set up peer networks across the NPS for future information sharing. Day one included cancer awareness and mitigation, personal protective gear inspection, “Ready Up" drills, and hose load instruction.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service