Where are the pump operator classes?
Kevin C. Cowperthwait
Chief
Pennsville (NJ) Fire and Rescue Co. 1
Referring to E. C. Burt`s letter (April 1997) regarding 212-inch handlines, are there pump operator classes? In my area of the country, you have to travel one hour to attend a pump class. We try the best we can to train in-house, but pump training is one of the many things that needs to be covered annually. I don`t feel the pump operators in our area are dumb; they do not have access to quality training programs …. Because my department uses 212-inch water lines does not make us dumb. I have convictions on what is best for my response area and which handlines are suitable. If readers don`t agree, that`s fine, but there is no reason to insult people who have differing opinions.
And to answer the question of what happened to quality training programs, they take money and manpower. In small-town America, both are hard to find. The Salem County Fire School would welcome any donations for training innovations.
