Trackpads - Military Community: MCBJ firefighters on Okinawa practice eliminating obstacles, getting inside  

MCBJ firefighters on Okinawa practice eliminating obstacles, getting inside
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USMC on 07 July, 2008 07:45:00
 
The point of entry was an 850-pound trainer called The Inforcer, which provides
some of the best forced-entry training to firefighters due to the level of
difficulty.
"The Inforcer door is modeled after one of the toughest doors a firefighter can
encounter, namely a steel door with a steel frame, with a masonry foundation,"
said class instructor Craig Walker, president of The Inforcer Company as well as
a captain with the Austin, Texas Fire Department.
In the past, firefighters trained on any doors and structures that were
available, but the doors would wear out after a few training cycles and have to
be discarded.
The Inforcer's replaceable hinges, locks and pins allowed firefighters to
repeatedly practice entry techniques using a chain saw, axe and halligan tool -
a fork shaped device with a pike on one end used to hammer and pry open doors
"This door allows any number of firefighters to train over and over until they
build the technique and finesse they need to complete a quick, forced entry,"
Walker said. "Firefighters today need absolute realism in their training, and
often, they don't get that."
Under the guidance of Walker, the firefighters set to work on breaching the
door. They began using inboard and outward swings to bend hinges enough for the
door to be pried open. The firefighters then attached chains and padlocks to the
door and cut through them with chain saws.
Junya Miyagi, one of two battalion training chiefs with the fire department,
said the door stood up well in the training, and he wished he had one to
practice on when he started fire fighting.
"We are always adding new techniques and technology which will aid us in our
mission of saving lives," Miyagi said. "The door is easy and quick to learn on
and allows us to save time we would normally spend having to find doors to train
on."
For some firefighters, forced entry was a new experience.
"I've never broke down a door before, so this was a lot of fun for me," said
firefighter Kawabata Daiki. "I feel more confident about having to break down a
door during a real fire."