On Thursday night Firefighters gathered at the firehouse for the Department's monthly training night.

On this night the truck bays of the Firehouse were turned into an obstacle course to help Cutchogue's Bravest practice their skills of search and rescue using full turnout gear and SCBAs.

SCBA stands for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and is the term used for the air system that firefighters strap onto their backs before entering burning buildings or other unsafe breathing environments. It provides them with a supply of breathable air so they can begin the tasks of rescue or fire suppression.

Since the SCBA is a firefighter's ultimate lifeline when going into toxic environments, it's important for them to understand completely how it works, how to wear it properly and how to breathe with it to help maximize the air they have.

One of the most critical skills firefighters learn when using an SCBA is how to remove it from their back while in a fire or unsafe condition without compromising their mask or air supply. Theses air packs can add an additional 8 to 12 inches to the side profile of a firefighter. If a firefighter becomes trapped or needs to get through a small space to help rescue someone or escape a life threatening condition, they may need to "reduce profile" and take off the packs so they can fit through the small openings. After navigating through the small space they need to put the packs back on so their hands are free to handle whatever else may be coming their way. Doing any of this incorrectly could produce tragic results.

Thursday night's exercise helped reinforce these techniques for the veteran firefighters, and were invaluable lessons for the newer and probationary members in the Department.

All members had their vision blocked by their fire hoods as they began the obstacle course. This was to simulate the realistic scenario of a room so full of smoke there is virtually no visibility. They were then given a tool to use (either an ax or a Halligan tool) to help navigate the course.

There were wooden pallets to climb over, a small hollow tunnel to get through (where most firefighters could fit only by reducing their profile by taking the SCBAs off their backs) and a sheetrock wall they had to break and climb through in order to finally complete the course. Some of the veteran firefighters acted as mentors for the members going through it, giving advice and spotting them as they navigated through the various obstacles.

Firefighters were tasked with overcoming the obstacles, while searching for, and locating a simulated victim or downed firefighter, and drag them to safety.

While physically demanding, the drill was a great learning experience for all the firefighters involved. The dedicated men and women of the Cutchogue Fire Department are committed to being the best they can be in order to do their jobs safely when protecting lives and property in their community.