Scores of firefighters from states as far away as Washington and Wisconsin are in Lexington this week. They are participating in the Andy Fredericks Training Days event at the Kentucky Theater. Andy Fredericks died while responding to the 9-11 terrorist attack in New York. His former firefighter colleagues in Virginia launched the training program in his memory in 2009. Training Days Spokesman Wells Wilson said one of the speakers in Lexington helped out with the early days of the event in Virginia and now serves in Seattle.
“He came back this year and talked about building construction and finding ways to navigate when you are in a smokey house to understand the layout of the house and how you can find victims and find fire in those conditions,” said Wilson.
Wilson said an internal joke among some firefighters is the profession is over 200 years old and it’s been unimpeded by progress. He noted the truth is there has been a tremendous progression in the gear and equipment used.
“But the fundamentals of firefighting haven’t changed too much. We still need to have motivated firefighters that have the confidence and the training to go in with a hose line and put out fire and rescue victims when needed.”
Wilson said there are eleven instructors from around the country who participate in the lecture-based training.
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