The Howard County Fire Department: Training Exercises and Drills for Personnel

The Howard County Fire and Rescue Services Department (HCDFRS) provides fire prevention, safety and information programs to the public through its Office of Community Outreach and Media Issues. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations require training in all of the subject areas listed above. FAA advice circulars provide guidance on how such training should be conducted. This includes live fire training, which must take place at least once a year, as well as drills every three years.

These training exercises are essential to ensure the safety of the traveling public. A career in the Baltimore County Fire Department is a unique experience with its own challenges and rewards. Before making a decision, it is important to understand what life in the fire service entails. The Fire Extinguishing Division of the ICM Airport Fire Extinguishing Department provides firefighting and rescue services for aircraft and other equipment, as well as for more than 100 buildings in the airport area. In the early 1960s, the Airport Fire Rescue Department became part of the Baltimore City Fire Department. Before entering live fire situations, Fire Rescue Department staff receive extensive training on the specialized equipment they will need to operate to perform their work.

The Fire Rescue Department currently provides training and updating to Consolidated Dispatch Center dispatchers, the police, Operations, Terminal and Transportation Services, and the Consolidated Dispatch Center, and the Consolidated Dispatch Center to ensure that everyone knows the proper procedures. Educational programs on public fires and personal safety are also offered to the airport community, including fire drills and training in evacuation procedures and the use of fire extinguishers. The Howard County Fire and Rescue Services Department offers tuition reimbursement at any accredited university of your choice. The men and women of the ICM Fire Department are prepared to accept current and future challenges to ensure that public safety against fire and life is maintained throughout the community at the highest possible level. Fire department personnel are constantly trained to maintain a high level of preparedness to be able to handle these situations.

Staff training to respond to structural fires includes information on how to establish a water supply, relay operations, locate appliances, multi-line pumping, and operate a fire pump. Staff working in hazardous areas are trained on identifying fire extinguishers, their proper use, and firefighting techniques. Fires in buildings, structures, or parking lots on airport properties are investigated by trained personnel who will attempt to identify the source and cause of the fire. This training area places emphasis on product identification and preparing staff to carry out mitigation operations with the right level of protective clothing. The Training Division ensures that firefighting personnel are trained according to National Fire Protection Association regulations related to fire department officers, fire prevention and airport and structural fire fighting professionals.

The objectives of this training include continuing education for recertification of fire department personnel as well as public education on basic life support and use of automated external defibrillators. The Howard County Fire and Rescue Services Department offers exceptional and diverse career opportunities for men and women seeking professional development and satisfaction.

Constance Kaukola
Constance Kaukola

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