NCJ Number
203782
Journal
Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2003 Pages: 8-10
Editor(s)
Karen E. Breseman
Date Published
November 2003
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the importance of training police and security personnel in fire rescue and self-survival skills while encouraging fire departments to help in this type of training effort.
Abstract
While police and security officers have been the first to respond to fire emergencies, they have received little training to safely perform the rescue efforts they most certainly will attempt to perform. Providing a minimum amount training to officers will significantly increase the likelihood of safely performing a rescue and reducing lose of life or injury. A focused training program can provide officers with self-survival skills and how to perform proper search and rescue techniques, as well as communicate to other emergency responders. This article briefly discusses the importance of such training by looking at Rutgers University, Fire Rescue and Survival Program. The Rutgers’ program is a 16-hour prioritized training curriculum on life-safety issues. It provides basic fire survival techniques and information on how to safely enter a building, explanations about fire conditions, and evacuation methods. To develop a comprehensive fire rescue and safety program, organizations will have to overcome many internal and traditionally entrenched obstacles to change and adopt a different philosophical view of their public safety roles. References