Volunteers Use TV to Make Training More Extensive

Volunteers Use TV to Make Training More Extensive

It’s time to look again at video equipment for training purposes. A few years ago a color video camera and recorder would have been too expensive for almost all fire department, especially volunteers. Now, cost-cutting technological advances have improved performance and put the price of such equipment within reach of many more departments.

The training of volunteers for the fire service is especially challenging. There is an immense amount of material to be covered and relatively little time available to do it. Since you never know for certain who will respond to a particular emergency, all active members should be proficient in all areas. Unfortunately, every member cannot attend each training session. Items such as employment, vacations, sickness, and family or other commitments and responsibilities often interfere.

It is possible for a volunteer to go for years without receiving adequate training in all of the necessary areas. This is particularly true if the department bylaws simply require attendance at a certain number or certain percentage of training sessions. Such a possibility is minimized in more progressive departments which require each member to be formally trained and qualified in a number of specific subjects.

Periodic retraining needed

Even if all members have been formally trained and qualified in all areas, periodic retraining and requalification is essential. This is particularly true for volunteer departments where there is relatively little action.

In the past we have extensively used commercial training materials, including professional movies, transparencies for overhead projectors, film strips, texts, manuals and slide-tape packages. But we wanted materials specific to our equipment, our operations, and to our unique problems.

We have generated our own slide-tape training materials in several areas. More recently an in-depth, 400-page training manual has been prepaid printed and distributed to all membeis (see Fire Engineering, December 1980). We still felt that video capability would give us many new advantages and possibilities.

Basic video system

In 1980 we purchased what might be considered a minimum basic system for approximately $3000. This system consists of the following:

1 color camera with case, power zoom lens, automatic iris control and electronic viewfinder

1 recorder and playback unit, battery or AC-operated

1 tripod, heavy-duty

1 remote microphone with 50 feet of cable

1 50-foot length of camera cable

1 extra battery pack

25 tapes, 1 hour each

3 high-intensity floodlights, 110volt

A number of other accessories are desirable but not essential, at least initially. For example, to view tapes we temporarily connect the playback to our station’s color TV. It would be more desirable (but expensive) to have a separate playback unit connected to a separate TV monitor for more complete portability.

Powerful lights that are portable and operate from rechargeable battery packs would also be desirable. Such units are not essential, however, because we operate satisfactorily using the 110-volt power generator on each of our emergency vehicles.

High quality tapes

We have produced scores of tapes of remarkably high quality. These have included tapes on the operation and use of equipment such as our air chisel, our rotary cutting saws, our oxyacetylene cutting torches, our high-pressure air cascade, our resuscitators and selected other equipment. A major set of tapes was prepared to illustrate how t his department makes forward and reverse hose lays with one and two lines. Also shown is how the fire hydrant and pumper are hooked up for such evolutions.

A portion of an in-depth, formal presentation to all new members has been taped. This discussion reviews all rules, regulations and operations that are essential for new members. It also includes advice, guidance and encouragement that makes new members feel at home.

An in-depth look at the fire department and its operation has also been prepared for small groups of visitors and other small community gatherings.

Another recent use was the taping of a multidepartment mut ual aid drill at an area hospital. Replaying the tape of this drill and the critique which followed was of value to personnel who were not in attendance as well as to those who were there but were unable to observe the entire operation.

Preparing to tape

The basic procedure we have adopted for taping evolutions consists of three parts. First the evolution is presented live by an instructor at a regularly scheduled training session. Next the session is critiqued and its taping planned in detail (camera positions, action sequences, etc.). Finally, the presentation is repeated before the camera with a small group of “trainees” assisting. The tape is previewed on the spot and any retakes are made while all video and fire equipment remain in position. Any corrections are edited in on the spot or later at the end of the recorded material. The results have been superb.

Any member, whether he attended the initial presentation or not, may view the tape at his convenience. This could, in principle, be done at his home although we do not at present permit this. Viewing the tape is only the first step. The trainee must next practice the evolutions (such as connecting lines to a hydrant) under the watchful eye of the instructor who made the presentation, or to an alternate. Having completed this, the trainee receives credit for the session as if he were at the original, live presentation.

Advantages of videotape

As with all things, there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with video equipment. Listed below are the advantages.

1. Immediate playback potential rather than waiting on outside processing.
2. Ability to stop, freeze or play back points of interest or importance.
3. Ability to review certain actions more clearly on the TV screen than than while present at the actual event.
4. Ability to tape movie films, slides, photographs, printed materials and various other items.
5. Training tapes produced locally use and emphasize local equipment, local procedures, and local personnel.
6. Instructors are not required to repeat their presentation to numerous small groups of trainees in make-up sessions.
7. More flexibility provided in training sessions. Two sessions can be held simultaneously: one advanced (live) and one basic (on tape); or one on theory (on tape) and one hands-on (live).
8. Training sessions are instantly available even if the instructor is not present.
9. Tapes can be easily re-recorded and presentations can be revised or added to at any time.
10. Commercially recorded tapes can be purchased to supplement the department’s tape library.
11. Ready access to tapes can be used to accelerate the training of new members.
12. Various special features and capabilities are available depending on the specific equipment involved.

Disadvantages

1. The cost of approximately $3000 may still be prohibitive for some volunteer departments.
2. The equipment is rather delicate and sensitive. The manufacturers’ precaution of “avoid cold and wet weather” seems to limit usefulness on the fireground.
3. Like any expensive equipment, its security must be considered. Consider theft insurance.
4. Operator experience is necessary and only a few designated members should be permitted to operate the equipment.

1. Repairs after the expiration of the warranty may be expensive and unavailable locally.
2. Making it easier to make up missed training sessions may decrease attendance at the regular sessions.
3. The image quality, while impressive, will not be identical to commercial TV.
4. The two major formats (B and VHS) and tape sizes (3/4 and 1/2-inch) are not interchangeable. This may present difficulties in providing tapes to local TV outlets and interchanging tapes with other fire departments.
5. With a basic system it is not possible to fully edit tapes into polished productions. While it is possible to rerecord over poor sections, more equipment or commercial assistance is required for professional editing.

Future plans

The possibilities for using video equipment in the volunteer fire department are immense. Our efforts so far have been concentrated on taping various training evolutions. In the future we plan to further develop the vast potential that exists. For example, we plan to:

1. Tape actual emergencies for subsequent critique and training purposes. Care must be taken here because the taping should not tie up a needed fire fighter. There is also a possibility that such tapes might be subpoenaed in subsequent legal actions and even for possible use against the fire department in any malpractice suit.
2. Tape fire department activities for public relations endeavors on local TV outlets.
3. Use a part of the equipment (inexpensive black-and-white camera and remote monitor) for security surveillance of a portion of the fire station or grounds.
4. Use tapes of practice of live presentations to critique the instructors techniques and to illustrate areas for improvement.
5. Tape pre-fire plans of all major buildings in the area. Such tapes would supplement other pre-fire plan information (printed and slides).
6. Interchange tapes with other departments in the area. Prime examples of such interchanges which would be of value are major emergencies involving mutual aid (for purposes of critique) and the pre-fire plan of buildings that involve mutual aid.
7. Show young visitors to the fire station how they look on the TV screen wearing fire helmet and boots, thus adding to the excitement of their visit.
8. Modify the department’s bylaws to require that even more training sessions be attended since it becomes more convenient to make up missed sessions.

It should be apparent that the use of video equipment has tremendous potential for use by both volunteer and paid fire departments. Several progressive departments are known to be actively engaged in the use of such equipment today. It is expected that more and more departments will be turning to this equipment in the future. It is also fully anticipated that their training and operations will be greatly enhanced, as ours has been, through the use of such equipment.