QUINCY — Fourteen firefighters from Quincy, Mattawa, Soap Lake, Ephrata and Royal Slope completed the Columbia River Fire Academy last week, according to an announcement from Grant County Fire District 3, which hosted the training at the George Fire Station. 

"It’s a huge time commitment, not only for them but for their families who have to endure this for several months,” said Todd Hufman, Assistant Chief of Operations and Training for Grant County Fire District 3. 

The course was every Monday and Thursday evening, plus several all-day Saturday sessions starting in September. The curriculum came from the International Fire Service Training Association’s Firefighter 1 course. Participants came from a range of experience levels, Hufman said.  

“We had one person who started (as a firefighter) two days after the academy started, and we got her in there, all the way up to people who have served at their home agencies for years and years who want to go through the course to get their certifications and do the testing at the end.” 

The classroom work was done online with slideshows and regular quizzes, said GCFD 7 Capt. CW Forrest, who went through the course. Forrest is a longtime volunteer who recently moved into full-time firefighting. Along with several hours of classroom training, there were stations for hands-on training in areas like ladder use, forcible entry and hose use. 

“Day one, they gave us our shirt and our books and everything else, and then they gave us a rope with our last name on it,” Forrest said. “This was an inspectable item, so we had to have it at every single class. It was to practice our knots … We got really proficient at it because at the end, for our practicals, there are a couple of different stations where you have to do specific knots, and you have to have them looking pretty and well dressed.” 

Much of the course focused on familiarization with personal protective equipment, Forrest said. Drills in donning protective gear and SCBA, or self-contained breathing apparatus, preceded every classroom session. 

“You would put your gear on in under 60 seconds, and then once you had your full gear on, the second part of the test would be to put on your SCBA in 60 seconds,” Forrest said. 

“That one I did in 45 seconds,” he added. 

Not everybody who started the course completed it, Hufman said. 

“It’s a pretty arduous course to complete,” he said.  

The Columbia River Fire Academy started a couple of years ago with just three fire districts, Hufman said. Grant County Fire District 3 hosted, and GCFD 8 in Mattawa and GCFD 10, Royal Slope Fire Rescue, participated. This is the first year that GCFD 7, based in Soap Lake, and GCFD 13, which covers rural Ephrata, were involved as well.  

In addition, the Washington State Fire Training Academy paid for the books and provided equipment, and Chief Howard Scartozzi and Deputy State Fire Marshal Brian Oberweiser offered instructional support. 

There are state requirements for training that every fire agency has to meet, Hufman said, but not all agencies will put their personnel through an academy like this one. The 14 graduates gained certification that will allow them to go back and serve their communities, he said, although he emphasized that fire training is something they’ll continue to do as long as they’re serving.  

“The learning never stops,” he said. “It’s the base knowledge to get them going and able to respond for their home agency.” 

Still, they walked away with more than just certification, Forrest said. 

“Confidence,” he said. “Confidence to be a well-rounded, productive firefighter for the community … It’s the best foundation as a fireman.” 

    Participants in the Columbia River Fire Academy prepare to drill in putting on their protective gear and breathing apparatus. They were required to get their time for each below 60 seconds by the end of the course.
  

    The Columbia River Fire Academy combined classroom training with hands-on practice at handling firefighting equipment.
  

    The Columbia Basin Fire Academy had hands on training to ensure trainees were ready to step into challenging roles.