Why Firefighters Drill
Allegedly, Einstein was once quoted as saying "Never memorize something that you can look up". For many professions where time is not a factor this is indeed great advice. In the fire service however, emergency responders rarely have the luxury of indifference to time; people are in danger and need assistance immediately or the danger will worsen. This is why we drill. We drill so that when the tones come in we can perfectly don our turnout gear and firefighting boots in less than 60 seconds. We drill so that without consciously thinking we can tie a bowline knot around ourselves or a life hazard and extricate them from a 2nd story window. We drill so that we can perform every action that is required of us on the fire ground with precision, accuracy and safety.
Muscle Memory
Many things we do in the fire service benefit from muscle memory. Donning and doffing gear, tying knots, pulling hose, hydrant drops, vehicle extrication, forcible entry and radio communication are all time-sensitive firefighting activities that benefit from consistent study and drill. Working with gloved hands is unnatural and takes a long time to become proficient at. Things as simple as pushing a radio call button or changing channels becomes much more difficult in bulky, lifesaving PPE.
Knowing our Equipment
One of the favorite activities to give to the probationary firefighter is the truck check. It is imperative that firefighters know exactly where on the truck or engine every single piece of equipment is. Furthermore, it is essential that firefighters learn the lengths of hose on engines, and the different pulls for each type of structure fire and hydrant drop. For our brothers and sisters in rural departments, it is essential to learn the procedure for setting up portable ponds and how to assist the engine operator with drafting.
How we Drill at Fire Department Clothing
Your satisfaction is our number one priority! Navigating custom apparel can sometimes be complex depending on our customers' needs. Many things can go wrong during the process. We recognize the importance of systematic quality control at all stages of the custom apparel process. All of our account managers verify your design, your sizes, quantities and due date when planning your order. Every order is triple checked before leaving our production facility: once by our sales and artist staff prior to being sent to production, once by the production staff, and one final time before it is shipped. All of this is to ensure that your fire department gets the best firefighter shirts available, whether ordering alone or in a group.
The Big Picture
Just as it is important to know how to drill, it is important to know what to drill and why we drill. Understanding the big picture will help us all become better firefighters on the fire ground. One of the most important steps in moving into leadership is gaining the skill of knowing what has to be done and taking the initiative. It is often said that the fire ground is a circus and the chief is the ring master. All emergency responders play a role in achieving positive outcomes, and it is our consistent training and drill that ensures we perform when the call comes in.