Part of being a successful firefighter is the ability to control fear—and rely on skills that must be constantly renewed and sharpened.

An Oak Ridge firefighter recently completed one of the most grueling courses designed to teach survival techniques, and he will be training other Oak Ridge firefighters soon.

Thirty-nine firefighters from several departments qualified to begin this punishing six-day course, but only 12 of those finished the class. The Georgia Smoke Diver course, conducted by the Georgia Fire Academy and the Georgia Smoke Diver Association, is a six-day, 60-hour program designed for experienced firefighters who want realistic training in skills including firefighter rescue, thermal imaging, teamwork, discipline, and situational awareness.

One of the 12 firefighters who finished the class was Steve London of the Oak Ridge Fire Department. London holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in environmental studies, and he is a firefighter/paramedic for the City of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]