WALLINGFORD - It may not include the same intense adrenaline rush as an actual emergency, but regular training sessions continue to provide valuable experience and muscle memory for area firefighters as they prepare to respond to a growing list of potential medical and fire-related incidents.

Covered from head to toe in their full-response gear and carrying heavy equipment, members of the Wallingford Fire Department's first shift took turns entering a smoke-filled training facility behind the central fire headquarters at 75 Masonic Ave. during a basement response training session Tuesday morning.

The task: to enter a sealed door or bulkhead, fight through a dark, smoke-filled room to find the staircase and respond to the basement where a simulated fire is threatening to burn the house down.

"This type of training is one of the most essential tools a department can use to ensure that firefighters will be prepared no matter what they encounter during an emergency," said Lt. Kris Sundwall, who is assigned to Truck One in Wallingford. "It may seem like basic stuff at times, but training provides the skills and knowledge that we need to handle anything that comes our way."

For a session that most firefighters Tuesday described as "basic response training," the tasks were anything but simple.

Wearing the full fire-resistant suit complete with an air pack, mask and helmet - a combination of gear totaling more than 65 pounds, according to Sundwall and Lt. Robert Colangelo - I followed four responders into the building, took a hose to the basement and doused the area where "flames" were reported.

After watching the firefighters' response, I can only imagine the endurance needed to muster enough energy for a fast response in 95 degree summer weather. The gear alone was enough to make me break a sweat and I was only standing in place or slowly trailing those who were rushing into the smoke-filled building.

Entering the building presented another unexpected challenge when I literally found myself searching for balance and direction in a room that, aside from the spotlights of two fire helmets, was pitch black.

I expected the darkness, especially in a smoke-filled building without power, but as a first-time traveler through these conditions I was unaware of just how suddenly I would be forced to find my bearings in order continue moving forward with the group.

Capt. James Duffy, shift commander for the Wallingford Fire Department, said these challenges are a perfect example of why local firefighters are required to complete different types of training sessions on a regular basis.

"We host these drills repeatedly so that if there are obstacles that prevent guys from attending one session, they will still have the opportunity to get the training they need to provide a timely response," Duffy said. "This doesn't just give them a chance to learn, but the repetition provides muscle memory that can make all the difference in an actual emergency."

The training was also only one of many different techniques that the firefighters learn over the course of the year, Duffy said. Wallingford firefighters are asked to complete training requirements annually in areas including rope rescues, emergency medical response, ladder training, confined space simulation, water rescues and training in dealing with hazardous materials.

Colangelo said it's not common that an entire shift is available to participate because of various call volumes and other response needs, but that with 1½-hour training sessions scheduled almost daily, the department finds ways to make sure all firefighters can meet the training requirements.

As departments are being asked to take on a wider variety of tasks than ever before, Duffy and Sundwall both said the training remains an essential part of their job.

"As firefighters in a smaller community, we do not have the money to develop specialized departments for HAZMAT, rescue squads or ladder response like you would see in New York City. Our department staff is expected to be able to handle anything that comes their way," Duffy said. "The training gives us the advantages we need to be able to provide that wide range of response needs."

jvallee@record-journal.com

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