Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder
No firefighter should find themselves in a position to be lost alone in a hostile environment, but the nature of interior operations in low/zero visibility requires us to plan and train for the worst situations. In this simple drill, the firefighter will simulate that they have become separated from crew members and must identify the quickest way out of the area. Use your local procedures and training for your reference when completing this or any drill. Practice these skills frequently to make sure you can perform them if you get into trouble.
Download this week’s firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.
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Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004. He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition. Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.
