Lauds “Saving Our Own” program
Eddie Buchanan
Lieutenant
Hanover (VA) Fire Department
I would like to thank Fire Engineering and the instructors at the Illinois Fire Service Institute for the “Saving Our Own” program. We learned about the course through friends in the Midwest and saw the presentation at FDIC last year. We were lucky enough to have Dave Clark, Rick Lasky, and Tom Shervino come to our department to deliver the 16-hour version of the program to instructors and firefighters from all over the local metro area. No doubt, this program will save a firefighter`s life somewhere down the road. All firefighters sooner or later will get in a “pinch.” How well they are trained to handle the situation will dictate whether they live or die. This course provides the skills and confidence every firefighter needs to overcome obstacles when faced with them. The bottom line is they teach you to never give up and to get out alive. I have not seen old “seasoned” instructors get this excited about anything in a long time. It brought a new sense of teamwork and safety to what has become a dangerous routine.
I also can`t say enough good things about the instructors. They leave you with the feeling of what it is really like to be a “brother.” I strongly urge all training officers to obtain this training. It is a proactive approach to firefighter safety we have needed for far too long.
