MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- A group of volunteer firemen from Puruandiro, Michoacan, Mexico visited MCLB Barstow recently to receive training that they would not normally be given in their hometown.
Twelve firemen, known as "bomberos," under the direction of Apple Valley Fire District division chief Art Bishop, spent a full day training under different scenarios at the MCLB Fire and Emergency Services Department's training facility.
The team spent most of the week training with the Apple Valley Fire District learning, among other things, cut and rescue techniques using the Jaws of Life and preparing for what they were going to experience at MCLB Barstow.
After receiving extensive life-saving and rescue techniques with the AVFD the team came to MCLB Barstow for more because it has the best facility for live-burn training in San Bernardino County, according to Bishop.
"We've got a good working relationship with the (MCLB) department here," said Bishop. "This is where we train our newly promoted fire captains and wanted to get these volunteer firemen here for the same training."
According Bishop, 10 of the bomberos are actually volunteers whose professions range from a doctor, dentist, chemical engineer and a mechanical engineer. The other two are members of the Puruandiro fire district board of directors.
Upon arriving at the MCLB Training Facility, the bomberos began their morning with a safety brief, and an equipment check focusing on their air respirators. They then moved to the first training simulator - the flashover, the purpose of which is to teach the firefighters to stay low when there is fire overhead in a building.
The next simulator taught the firefighters how to put out a fire without getting "cooked" because of the steam and extreme heat generated from the spray, said Chief Mike Davis, from MCLB Barstow's Yermo Station.
During the afternoon session, the bomberos went through the fire tunnel. The objective in this simulator, according to Davis, is to go through the tunnel get around obstacles, find the victim and drag him back through to safety.
The final training session of the afternoon concluded with the "tower," a two-story concrete building that involves three training evolutions; the first is to go into a burning room, locate victim and bring him to safety. The next evolution involved the use of AVFD's new ladder truck to go through a window and go into a room engulfed with smoke. The third session involves putting out a basement fire, which is one of the most difficult fires to fight, according to Davis.
"This is great training for them," said Bishop. "Most of their buildings are made of non-combustible material, and this type of training is more a confidence builder for them. It also gives them something that they would not normally see in their city."
The city of Puruandiro has a population of about 95,000. It only has one fire hydrant and now thanks to the Apple Valley Fire District and the Rotary Club's donations, they have three fire engines and four ambulances, according to Manual Hernandez, a former firefighter now on the Puruandiro Fire District's board of directors.
"The training these firefighters have received here has been a great learning experience for them," said Hernandez. "They all want to come back again for more training and because we have been treated so well. I'm sure when we get back they will tell the other firefighters about this experience and they will want to come here as well."