Ben's BF training...

Well, Ben started his BF training with the Rural Fire Service on the weekend. It started at 8:30 am on Saturday at a place called Bell which is at the western end of the Blue Mountains. When we got there it was -2 degrees and ice was falling off the trees and power lines. Very cold.

Saturday was quite a boring day for Ben as it was all theory, so he was in a classroom all day. I caught him nodding off at one stage, but I can't say much about that as I nodded off in our classroom sessions myself! He finished at 3:30pm and we trekked back home to get some rest for the night as we had to be back there again at 8:30 on Sunday.

If at all possible, it was colder there on Sunday. Threatening clouds came over throughout the morning while Ben was inside doing more theory. When his class came out to do the practical work it started to snow! It is funny to think that everyone was running around in the snow and the cold learning how to fight fires in the heat of summer! The first thing the recruits had to do was learn how to use fire extinguishers. Everyone managed that without any problems. Below is a video of the extinguisher work.

The class then learnt about hoses. The helpers (me and a few other guys) built a large fire, started it and threw a container of drip torch fuel on it to really get it blazing. The class then got to put it out with a hose and extinguisher. Fun for all! See the below video for the fire. Ben is to the right of the fire in the background.

Next the group learnt about drip torches. For those of you that don't know, a drip torch is a canister with a wand and a wick that drips a fuel mix, usually 25% unleaded and 75% diesel, on a burning wick. It is used to start fires for hazard reductions and back burning. (and BBQ's) The class was split into 3 groups and I took one of the groups and explained how a drip torch operates and tutored each of the people in my group on how to use it and got them all to have a go. Here is Ben having his turn...

The groups were then shown how to use hand tools and I taught the group I had, which included Ben, how to use a rake-hoe and a fern hook. I then got them to create a section of fire trail about ten metres long. Ben did quite well.

Once this was done, the day was over. We packed up all of the tables and chairs and hit the road again. Ben seems to have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is looking forward to using his new found knowledge. He is back there again on August 10 for the last day of training and then his assessment is on September 21. I will let you all know how he goes on the last day of training. He will get to play with pumps and big hoses....