Where We Fall Short in Our Training

Career or volunteer, our days are busy, at least most of the time. Nevertheless, training and drills are an important and integral part of the job we do. If you’re in a busy department, you may feel that all the calls that you run are enough training. If you’re a volunteer, you hardly have enough time to take care of the family, work full-time and respond to the calls you can! And to be honest, most of us like to train when it’s convenient. The problem is, the emergencies we respond to don’t know what “convenient” means and it is imperative for us to know and know well, everything we have to do to mitigate any emergency.

My guest, Chief Dennis P. Reilly, currently serves as the Assistant Chief for the Davis CA Fire Department and is a 40-year veteran of the fire service and a veteran of our armed forces. When you look at his topic, some may get all blustery and will be ready to argue, while others may ask themselves, “I wonder where we may be missing something.” It all depends on if you view the “glass half-empty or half-full.”

The Chief makes an excellent point when he discusses the difference between, “training” and “drilling.” For example, you take a 3-hour class on thermal imaging cameras. Great class and you feel as though you’ve learned a lot. However, for the next three months, you don’t pick up a TIC. Are you still prepared to use that tool to possibly save the life of a civilian or even a firefighter?

After you listen to Chief Reilly’s podcast, think about his conversation and bring either the podcast or his wise words, back to share with your department. Training and drilling cannot always take place at times that we feel are convenient. Then again, neither is Mrs. Smith’s emergency when her house erupts into flames. Remember – we don’t want to “fall short” on the scene of an emergency!