SAUGUS — It’s one of the most dangerous situations for people in a very dangerous line of work. For firefighters in Saugus, this week’s training could help them recognize and escape a flashover.
“No one, not even firefighters wearing all their protective gear, can survive flashover,” Department of Fire Services Jennifer Mieth said. “That’s why it’s so important for firefighters to recognize the signs and learn how to get themselves to safety as quickly as possible.”
Flashover occurs when everything in a room reaches the temperature of combustion and ignites. Firefighters entered a burning trailer and completed flashover recognition training to help prepare them for dangerous conditions in an actual fire during a training course Thursday morning.
“This is a learning tool for us,” said Saugus Fire Captain Thomas Nolan, who has been with the department for 25 years. “The world is evolving everyday and reinventing itself, so we need to keep reinventing the way we train for these things.”
The training was provided by The Massachusetts Firefighting Academy and included both classroom and practical time on Wheelabrator Saugus’ property off Route 107.
Masonite and wood boards burned at the front of the trailer, which was more elevated than the larger section in the rear where firefighters entered. Heavy brown smoke poured from the structure as firefighters inside observed.
The purpose of the training was to introduce firefighters to the warning signs of imminent flashover and the conditions in which it occurs.
“This simulates a room flashing over, which is a major problem for us,” said Nolan. “It’s important for these guys to be able to recognize when a room is going to flash over so they need to know the warning signs and the change of conditions and what to look for.”
Meith said the ultimate goal is not to withstand conditions or put out the flame, because both are impossible. The training is intended only to provide firefighters with the ability to identify the signs so they can protect themselves.
“There is no withstanding the conditions,” Meith said. “The ultimate goal is to learn to recognize the signs that flashover is imminent.”
The activity specifically demonstrates how intense the heat can get in a confined space, and the reaction of cooling down or introducing oxygen to the flames.
The academy brings the training to fire departments across the state at the request of the chiefs, she said.
