Season 3 episode 1 of The Academy: Orange County Fire is available online. The reality show (more of a docu-drama) has previously been about law enforcement. This year it is all about a behind-the-scenes look at recruits of the Orange County Fire Authority, California.
You can read about the reality show here (all three seasons). You can visit the website for the current season here.
The Academy follows the Orange County Fire Authority Recruit Class 36. The class is comprised of the 28 lucky ones who were hired out of a pile of applicants. The recruit class is 18 weeks long and is paramilitary. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I went through a similar recruit school in my department. Although mine was shortened to 12 weeks and we went 6 days a week. That blew!
The Fire Critic is a huge fan of paramilitary style recruit classes. This inside look at the recruit process should be watched by anyone who wants to be a firefighter. I am sure that many recruit schools are handled similarly in Cities across the U.S. and beyond. It isn’t easy…it isn’t supposed to be easy.
If you have an interest, I have written a novel which is about the recruit training at LACo's Helitack Wildland Fire Camp 8. Yup – its paramilitary type training to make the recruits tough. 1/2 failed the academy.
The book is called One Foot In The Black.
http://www.kurtkamm.com
Kurt Kamm
3 seasons, i had no idea. I guess I should start watching.
I have been in the Fire service for 19 yrs. I am a Captain as well as training officer. I watched 1 episode of this show and wanted to puke. Train these guys on how to fight fire and survive and leave it up to their Captains to teach them to clean.
I have been in the Fire service for 19 yrs. I am a Captain as well as training officer. I watched 1 episode of this show and wanted to puke. Train these guys on how to fight fire and survive and leave it up to their Captains to teach them to clean.
JAL, I have missed the past several weeks of the show. I watched intently during the first couple which I thought did a great job of building up what a rookie school is about. I saw up til they began firefighting training and pulling some hose. I have missed since and I will have to catch up. I had high hopes for the show!!!
In what training is it correct to teach fire fighters to drag brass?
I was taught one “NEVER DRAGS BRASS” as it tends to damage and this damage can cause malfunction of that section of hose, one fifty foot section of hose lost due to improper handling, should never be tolerated!
The proper training is in “Make and Break exercise” “NEVER DRAG NEVER DROP BRASS”
this is what I was taught in Orange County Fire training in 1972, how times have changed!
I have recorded all 8 segments!I have questions of the whole set up.
D K Retired Fire Captain C.D.F.
In what training is it correct to teach fire fighters to drag brass?
I was taught one “NEVER DRAGS BRASS” as it tends to damage and this damage can cause malfunction of that section of hose, one fifty foot section of hose lost due to improper handling, should never be tolerated!
The proper training is in “Make and Break exercise” “NEVER DRAG NEVER DROP BRASS”
this is what I was taught in Orange County Fire training in 1972, how times have changed!
I have recorded all 8 segments!I have questions of the whole set up.
D K Retired Fire Captain C.D.F.
I've also run a couple different training academies and have a few years under the leather.
As was emphasized throughout the series, the point of teaching them to clean completely was to emphasize “attention to detail”.
They weren't being taught to clean, they were being taught to give 100% focus on performing the EVERY task to the fullest, not just get it done somehow.
If you would have watched the following episodes, you would have seen how this effective training tool worked- and taught these young recruits a valuable lesson in how to perform all fireground tasks at 100% with full attention to every detail.
Dirt on a wheel? Naw, no biggie.
Spooge in an exhalation valve from incomplete cleaning of your mask? Deadly.
I'm currently reading Kurt Kamm's book called One Foot in the Black. I'llbe posting about it at a later date. Hint- well worth the time to read!
I have seen the site and I will check out the book….
Dan, I am going to have to catch up on the show. I have missed most of it. That is interesting though because we were taught to handle the brass with care, but there isn't much brass left in our department. Most of what is used now is stronger and not as susceptible to damage like brass.
I am going to have to watch now to see how much brass they actually use anymore.
I've also run a couple different training academies and have a few years under the leather.
As was emphasized throughout the series, the point of teaching them to clean completely was to emphasize “attention to detail”.
They weren't being taught to clean, they were being taught to give 100% focus on performing the EVERY task to the fullest, not just get it done somehow.
If you would have watched the following episodes, you would have seen how this effective training tool worked- and taught these young recruits a valuable lesson in how to perform all fireground tasks at 100% with full attention to every detail.
Dirt on a wheel? Naw, no biggie.
Spooge in an exhalation valve from incomplete cleaning of your mask? Deadly.
I'm currently reading Kurt Kamm's book called One Foot in the Black. I'llbe posting about it at a later date. Hint- well worth the time to read!
I have seen the site and I will check out the book….
Dan, I am going to have to catch up on the show. I have missed most of it. That is interesting though because we were taught to handle the brass with care, but there isn't much brass left in our department. Most of what is used now is stronger and not as susceptible to damage like brass.
I am going to have to watch now to see how much brass they actually use anymore.
O.K. I understand new material, not brass!
I am sure the program is shown after editing, and some attention to the proper handling may have been edited out!
I saw Your reply to Jal, it brings me to a couple things people who have not been in the fire service may not understand!
First I was taught that at times in wild land fire the safest way out may be through the flames, when this is your only avenue of escape or when trapped and flames have surrounded your fire truck, you have to remember the old saying “A Clean Fire Truck Won't Burn”!
This is why You teach attention to detail, detail my be SAFETY!
When my first Captain found a spot on the fire truck, we spent the day over under and through the truck with tooth brush in hand, when the toilets were not cleaned properly we spent the next several hours with tooth brush and cleanser detailing the toilet!
Some folks may think these methods harsh, but we soon learned, “any job worth doing is worth doing right the first time”! The value in having everyone admire how clean our fire truck was, was simple we got picked for the good jobs, and the hardest, everyone had complete confidence that, Foreman Lawrey and crew would always handle the job!
I had the best training cadre ever assembled no matter they were not in the same location or station.
Please don't get my comments wrong I enjoy the program, I will watch and show the recordings to anyone who wish's to see them, they bring back memories that will never be lost!
I read in some blogs that the network is ending presentation next year, that is too sad, this could be a great recruiting tool!
The last crew I trained was a group of inmates in a local prison setting, the best thing about the whole class was the found memories, telling them stories of fire line adventures!
Close to the end of this training while evaluating what they had learned, one of them made my head swell! He told me that no matter what else happened to him in his life. He would not go more than one year after release before be coming a wild land fire fighter, because of what I had taught them! How can You not love to hear that inspiration?!
i can't watch it like I said teach these guys how to stay alive. We lose to many FFs every year and most can clean very well. This week during our department training we focused on RIT and it is disturbing to know that their are some that can't get us out when needed. I mean i am almost 40 and I can out do most 20 year olds kids.
In Wild Land Fire Fighting training we were all taught to Never try to out run a fire by going uphill.
I not positive what year in the late 70s or early 80s. I was in a situation in San Diego county with an Inmate crew of 18. Fire over ran our location, I had been scouting the area for at least 30 minutes prior to the burn over. I was instructing my crew on what the next assignment was and where our escape route would be. When I was about to finish the fire roared up the canyon. We had three choices. 1. Go left and slightly down hill to a cradle on the ridge. 2. Go over the ridge and down the other side which had been partly burned but still had thick 12 foot high brush. 3. Go right up hill and over the hill top in that direction.
#3 Appeared to be against all training, however that is what I instructed my crew to do.
The investigators the next day told me “I am sorry Dan, but you screw up going up hill.”
I ask, “I did, how is that?” “You should have went in this direction ( as listed the #1 choice).” I suggested we walk down that direction. We did. When we got down into the cradle area, we stopped. I asked if this is where we should have went. His answer was this is where I would have sent the crew and where I would have went. I replied Chief this was a bulldozer line to bare soil. As you see it is all white at this time, would you rub your foot across the ground? He did. He turned pail, and exclaimed. “Oh my God Dan we would have all been dead!” The dirt had been turned white by the extreme heat of the chimney below the location. I was extremely lucky to only have two inmates with burns, third degree on 1% of their bodies, neck ears, back of hand.
This was my second time of being burned over.
So I think I can say “Been there done that”.
This true story is one of the best and effective training tools one can have.
There is more to this true story but most people unless they believe in the power of prayer, would not believe it.
In Wild Land Fire Fighting training we were all taught to Never try to out run a fire by going uphill.
I not positive what year in the late 70s or early 80s. I was in a situation in San Diego county with an Inmate crew of 18. Fire over ran our location, I had been scouting the area for at least 30 minutes prior to the burn over. I was instructing my crew on what the next assignment was and where our escape route would be. When I was about to finish the fire roared up the canyon. We had three choices. 1. Go left and slightly down hill to a cradle on the ridge. 2. Go over the ridge and down the other side which had been partly burned but still had thick 12 foot high brush. 3. Go right up hill and over the hill top in that direction.
#3 Appeared to be against all training, however that is what I instructed my crew to do.
The investigators the next day told me “I am sorry Dan, but you screw up going up hill.”
I ask, “I did, how is that?” “You should have went in this direction ( as listed the #1 choice).” I suggested we walk down that direction. We did. When we got down into the cradle area, we stopped. I asked if this is where we should have went. His answer was this is where I would have sent the crew and where I would have went. I replied Chief this was a bulldozer line to bare soil. As you see it is all white at this time, would you rub your foot across the ground? He did. He turned pail, and exclaimed. “Oh my God Dan we would have all been dead!” The dirt had been turned white by the extreme heat of the chimney below the location. I was extremely lucky to only have two inmates with burns, third degree on 1% of their bodies, neck ears, back of hand.
This was my second time of being burned over.
So I think I can say “Been there done that”.
This true story is one of the best and effective training tools one can have.
There is more to this true story but most people unless they believe in the power of prayer, would not believe it.