Phoenix Fire Department Search and Rescue Training for Stats Measurement

August 5, 2024 9:30 AM

​ In the fall of 2023 , the Phoenix Fire Department began a series of trainings focused on residential search & rescue. The training was delivered at every level of the organization including regional Battalion Chief training, Captains tactical training, and crew development training. The crew development training was delivered in three blocks: classroom sessions, hands-on practice, and a 3-1 house fire drill with victims. The drill involved 343 units, including Engines, Heavy Rescues, Ladders, and Rescues, and took place from December 2023 to March 2024 with 9 scenarios per day divided into three training sessions. A total of 1,033 Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) members attended the training. The drills were conducted in a simulated residential structure known as the "money pit" on the Phoenix Fire Department's Special Operations Campus. This single-story, 1,600 square-foot house featured three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an attached garage, plywood-lined walls, and concrete floors. The house was fully furnished, and victims were placed throughout the structure depending on the scenario. During the drills, crews were required to establish a water supply, deploy charged hose lines, and force entry. Smoke machines and a Fire Board were used to simulate fire conditions. Training captains facilitated the drills to ensure consistency and the completion of objectives. The terminal objectives of the training were for members to apply the skills and task-level actions delivered and practiced throughout the Crew Development Search and Rescue Training. These skills included continuous size-up of the incident from both exterior and interior positions, communication on the tactical channel and within crews, effective search techniques for residential structures, and victim removal using the best methods for survivability. The incident progressed until all victims were removed from the structure and an "All Clear" was obtained. Throughout the 2023 Crew Development training, multiple data points were collected and analyzed to assess proficiency and identify areas requiring additional training. These data points included air management , crew dynamics, forcible entry times, time to locate victims, removal times and methods, and time to declare an all clear of the structure. This comprehensive data collection allowed the Department to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in both individual and crew performances. By analyzing this data, training coordinators are developing future training to reinforce best practices, reemphasize key points, and address deficiencies, thus ensuring continuous improvement and higher overall proficiency in Search & Rescue operations.​