Benner Township FERT Participates in Vehicle and Dumpster Fire Training

In addition to their normal job duties as corrections officer, food service instructors, information technology specialists and more, many staff members within DOC facilities go above and beyond by becoming part of a facility's specialized teams.

One of those specialized teams would be the Fire Emergency Response Team (FERT). In order to become a FERT member, employees are required to attend a training session at the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, as well as conduct training sessions throughout the year at their facility.

On Sept. 28, members of SCI Benner Township's FERT participated in a Vehicle and Dumpster Fire Training at the Centre County Public Safety Training Center (CPI). The team was educated on the hazards, causes and methods of extinguishing vehicle and dumpster fires in a classroom setting. Team members were then taken to the fire grounds where they went over Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). The class concluded with team members being able to put their knowledge to work in practical evolutions. These evolutions consisted of attaching hose to a fire hydrant, extinguishing vehicle and dumpster fires with water and fire extinguishers.