Fort Knox Fire Department instructor Capt. Dave Black holds the ladder while a trainee practices bailing out a window during a survival skill course Jan. 15, 2022.

View more photos and video from the training event by visiting the Fort Knox Flickr page HERE.

FORT KNOX, Ky. – About 50 area firefighters, junior firefighters, trainees and instructors participated in a weekend training event at Fort Knox Jan. 15-16 to develop their survival skills.

Fort Knox Assistant Fire Chief Todd Vinton said this course – which is a requirement to become a volunteer certified firefighter – was created with one main focus:

“All of this weekend’s class is strictly about techniques to help firefighters survive,” said Vinton. “The exercises were all developed from different instances that have happened where firefighters have lost their lives.”

The course was split into two days, which included both classroom time and hands-on training evolutions. Day one focused on self-rescue, especially when separated from teammates and in situations with little to no visibility. Vinton said the exercises each had an added level of difficulty in some form.

A blindfolded firefighter attempts to find hose couplings in order to learn how to navigate back to the truck during a survival skill course at Fort Knox Jan. 15-16, 2022.

“At the first evolution, they’re blindfolded,” said Vinton. “They have to feel their way down the hose and when they get to a set of couplings, they need to figure out which way goes back out to the truck just by feeling the knots on the couplings.”

Trainees rotated between the stations, going through each exercise at least twice to become familiar with the techniques.

“At the red [station] they’re working on wall breaching,” said Vinton. “They’ll go inside of a wall and then have to come out a window.”

Numerous area fire departments participated in a survival course at Fort Knox Jan. 15-16, 2022, which included entering through a wall and escaping out a window.

The third station trainees went through during the first half of day one focused on overcoming entanglements.

“It simulates getting entangled in wires,” said Vinton. “Sometimes when we go through a house, there’s extension cords. If they go through a wall, they’ll get things wrapped around them.”

Two firefighter trainees go through an entanglement simulation during a survival skill course at Fort Knox Jan. 15-16, 2022.

The second day of exercises focused on rescuing others rather than getting themselves out of danger. Vinton said one of the most difficult aspects was devoted to helping a fallen teammate.

“They simulate down firefighters,” said Vinton. “They’ll drag them to the steps and two trainees will grab them and pack him or her all the way up the stairs.”

Vinton said several different departments participated in the training event to include Fort Knox, Flaherty, Glendale, Valley Creek, Lebanon Junction and Radcliff. The instructors, which were from three separate regions and had over 300 combined hours of experience, were there to ensure the students got the most out of the course.

“This is an intense class, and they’ll come out of bruised,” said Vinton. “It’s all about how much you want to put into it, how much you want to participate, and what you want to get out of it.”

Firefighters from a number of different area departments take turns bailing out a window during a survival skill course at Fort Knox Jan. 15-16, 2022.

Vinton, a state instructor who has been a firefighter for 30 years, 25 of which were spent at Fort Knox, said he was encouraged by what he witnessed over the weekend.

“I feel good seeing these younger people learning these techniques and being dedicated,” said Vinton. “You’ve got to have it in your heart to be able to do it.”