The Hamilton Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department hosted the Alabama Fire College Friday night and Saturday with volunteer fire departments from Ariton, Luverne and Spring Hill participating.

Tyler Flowers, Hamilton Cross VFD chief, said the purpose of the mobile fire suppression training was to provide the volunteer fire fighters with additional search and rescue training.

“You never know when you respond to a fire whether victims are involved,” Flowers said. “This mobile unit gives our volunteer firefighters an opportunity to enter a smoke-filled van and search for a ‘victim’ only by feeling their way around.”

The volunteer fire fighters entered the smoke-filled mobile unit three at a time and in full gear.

“They participated in what is called a nut and bolt drill,” Flowers said. “The nut and bolt drill is just that. The firefighters crawl into the mobile unit and search for three nut and bolt item that have been hidden. Those items are much smaller than a person who might have been overcome by smoke or injured in the fire. The fire fighters must find all three of the small items. It’s a real challenge.”

The volunteer fire fighters had different rescue scenarios, one was a bedroom fire and the other was a flash over in which flames are visible.

Flowers said the mobile fire suppression training was additional training offered to volunteer fire fighters in order to better prepare them for different situations they might encounter.

“We want our fire fighters to be well prepared to do their jobs, and that includes search and rescue, and to also be able to protect themselves and their fellow firefighters as they are in the heat of the fire.”

The members of the Hamilton Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department expressed appreciation to the volunteer firefighters from Ariton, Luverne and Spring Hill for participating in the Alabama Fire College training.