TODAY'S TMJ4 gets taste of Milwaukee firefighter training
MILWAUKEE- Firefighters risk their lives every day to save others.
TODAY'S TMJ4's Cody Holyoke got a taste of how they train for life or death situations.
It's a tough, tough job, don't let anyone tell you otherwise says Cody.
When your life and home is on the line, these are the guys you want taking care of business.
Firefighters say every day is a learning experience. Instructors took a small group of people under their wings -- showing them how to use their heavy equipment, then gearing up for an afternoon of training.
"Fires across the nation are down, and the experience level we saw 25 and 30 years ago in the firefighting hay day, those members are retiring now," said Milwaukee Fire Department Battalion Chief Dan Lipski.
Recruits go through 16 weeks of intense training, through obstacle courses, and up ladders -- anything to prepare them for the job at hand.
Many times, danger can strike quickly. Just recently, firefighters were injured during an explosion.
The department acknowledges and respects the risks. "At a moment's notice, situations change and people can be severely hurt or if not, we can lose firefighters," said Milwaukee Fire Department Chief Mark Rohlfing.
Instructors put Cody through the paces Thursday, not just on the ladder. He had to crawl through a dark, cramped obstacle course and even stood in a room as it was set on fire.
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