HFD ‘Furnace’ tests new recruits

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) -Across Henderson, probationary firefighters are participating in “Furnace” training day.

“This isn’t something we expect every recruit to master but it’s something we want them to have an awareness of,” said Henderson fire department Captain, James Egbert.

One of the events happened at the grain bins at 5th and Vanwyk.

Here, crews did a practice rope rescue.

The event had a worker stuck on top of the tall bins.

“This is the highest I have every repelled,” said Henderson fire department probationary firefighter, Kevin Whitehouse.

Working with experienced firefighters, new recruit’s and other workers climbed the grain bin ladder.

Their goal: to get to the stuck person, check on them, and get ready to bring them down safely.

The drill tested their rope rescue skills, how to check on a patient, and working together in hard conditions.

“I mean this could happen at anytime so it’s important that we practice it and get it right so that we can save someone or help them,” said Henderson fire department probationary firefighter, Matt Sternberg.

“You can never be to prepared for any scenario so things like this even though they may seem unlikely it’s important to keep practicing this,” said Whitehouse.

Other practice emergencies happened at the same time in other areas of Henderson.

These included simulated house fires, car crashes, and medical calls.

Each one showed the recruits the different kinds of things they will see as firefighters.

Henderson fire department Captain, James Egbert, says the “Furnace” helps move them from learning in a classroom to real emergency work.

You know it’s a different response from reading a chapter from that book and immediately going to training to being on call and doing what the job entails,“ said Egbert.

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