On Monday May 11, the Brockport Fire Department invited the Hamlin Fire Department, along with Kendall and Holley, Explorers to a live burn training drill. The drill consisted of four stations that the four departments rotated. A landowner had donated a barn that had already collapsed for the live burn. The Hamlin Explorers started on a line with an Task Force Tip automatic nozzle and got to spend time learning it’s operation and practiced advancing lines. They next station was at the tanker/port-a-pond/fill site. The Explorers got some basic information on drafting operations and pump operations. The next station was on a Blitzfire nozzle where they again had time to learn its operation and could compare it to the TFT automatic nozzle. The last station was the smooth bore nozzle and the comparisons to the other nozzles were discussed. At this time Brockport command ordered the barn to be extinguished and the Hamlin Explorers got plenty of practice advancing a handline around and through the debris of the barn.

A great deal of thanks goes to the Brockport Fire Department for opening up this unique training experience to the Hamlin Explorers. They learned a great deal about firefighting equipment, methods and teamwork. The final teamwork effort was pushing the Hamlin FD van out of the homeowners front yard. They did great after I got it stuck.

Story and photo’s by John Deserto