FRYEBURG, Maine — This weekend, firefighters from across Western Maine gathered at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds to take part in a group training.
"It was really good to start from literally the ground basics," Fryeburg firefighter Josette Deschambeault said. "They went from everything from making the math easier to getting the hands-on, step by step instruction."
Deschambeault was one of the roughly 30 people that took part in the training. She's been with the department for about five years, however, she said she's mostly worked in EMS.
"We're looking to make sure that everyone is operating the equipment safely. That's our primary concern, is the safety of the firefighters and of the public as well," Denmark Fire Chief Chris Wentworth said.
Wentworth's crew from Denmark was one of more than a half dozen that took in the training. The training focused mainly on pump operations, including training on hoses, nozzles, the panel on trucks, as well as proper pressure for those tools.
The training was hosted by the Maine Fire Service Institute and coordinated by the Western Maine Firefighters Association. Many of the departments that took part are located in rural areas of Oxford County. Firefighters say they often rely on each other for mutual aid to help put out large fires, and training alongside them is a major benefit to the region.
"The people we're training with right now are the people that we could be with tonight or tomorrow at an actual event. So to be able to know each other personally, be able to have the same skill set, the same mindset, is critical for our operations," Wentworth said.
"You know how that person works, you know that you've trained together. So you know everything that you just took from this class, they know too," Deschambeault added.
Trainees took part in a two-day training, including classroom and fieldwork. Deschambeault says training opportunities like this are very beneficial to those like her still learning the trade.
"The more we can practice with getting our hands-on equipment, and practicing step by step, it becomes muscle memory," Deschambeault said. "So we when we get to that anxiety enduing, all the adrenaline-pumping moment of 'oh something's on fire' now you know what to do, you've trained how you want to play.
The training also coincided with the end of Wildfire Awareness Week in Maine. Every day, the Maine Forest Service updates its Wildfire Danger Report, which classifies different areas of the state based on the risk of a wildfire.