Training

Fire Training: The firefighters of Pacific County Fire District 1 train to the requirements of NFPA standards. These requirements include training with SCBAs, hazardous materials, confined spaces, pump operations, and structural and wildland fire behavior. Volunteer firefighters and Career firefighters are held to the same training standards. Firefighters participate in weekly drills, Monday nights at Station 21-2 at 1900 hrs, Wednesday nights at Station 21-1 at 1900 hrs. Daily training is also scheduled during each shift.

The Washington State Fire Training Academy, located near North Bend, WA, serves local communities and state agencies by providing live fire training to fire and emergency response personnel. Pacific County Fire District 1 participates in training at the North Bend facility for ongoing training in Flammable Liquids, Search and Rescue, Live Fire Training, Hazardous Materials, Confined Space Rescue, and Multi-Company Operations to name a few. Other live fire exercises take place at the Fire Response and Research Center, located on the MERTS Campus in Astoria, OR.

EMS Training: Through progressive EMS training, approximately 75% of all Pacific County Fire District 1’s career and volunteer members are Washington State certified Paramedics, EMT’s, or First Responders. Continuing education is a vital part of maintaining a high level of knowledge and expertise in emergency services. Training is conducted through an On-going Training and Evaluation Program (OTEP), and through specialized classes, seminars, and conferences. Both methods are approved by the Washington State Department of Health who regulates EMS services in our state. OTEP requirements can be found in WAC 246-976-161. OTEP classes are taught the third Wednesday and fourth Tuesday of every month.

The American Heart Association (AHA) provides curricula and certifications for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) that are offered to our members by the local hospital in a cooperative agreement in which the Fire District provides CPR training for hospital employees. The Fire District also utilizes class curricula such as Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) and Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS) provided by the National Association of EMTs (NAEMT) who, like the AHA, provides certification for these classes. In the future, the Fire District is planning for all these classes to be provided “In house”, being taught by its own certified personnel.