Training
As with every fire department, training is crucial to build and maintain first responder skills and ensure preparedness for calls. The Mountain Communities Volunteer Fire Department (MCVFD) trains together at least once a week (every Thursday night) throughout the year. Our training focuses on structural firefighting, wildland firefighting, emergency medical response, backcountry rescue, scene safety/staging, general operations, and much more. Training sessions are open to the public. We highly encourage anyone interested in joining the department to attend a training session and meet the team before becoming a member.
Fire & Rescue Training
Fire and rescue training helps prepare us for response to structure and wildland fires, as well as vehicle, climbing, and hiking accidents throughout our district. These training sessions focus on vehicle and equipment operation, wildland and structural firefighting techniques and tactics, climbing rescue skills and strategies, drills and mock scenarios, case studies, and more.
Continuing Education Medical Training
We are a non-transporting, basic life support (BLS) agency. We rely on the Ute Pass Regional Ambulance District (UPRAD) to provide advanced life support (ALS) services We also deal with many medical helicopter flights since we are so far from any advanced trauma centers. As such, our medical training focuses on BLS skills and strategies to help UPRAD and our flight partners while dealing with medical emergencies.
We are very fortunate to have the incredible UCHealth emergency medical services (EMS) education staff teach continuing education (CE) training sessions under our Mecial Director Dr. Jeremy DeWall. CE sessions take place on the third Thursday of every month at Station 2 in Westcreek. These sessions enable emergency medical responders (EMRs) and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to maintain their certifications, though non-medical personnel are highly encouraged to attend. Sessions cover hands-on skills, assessment methods, case studies, mock scenarios, and more.
CPR & STOP THE BLEED® Classes
In addition to our monthly continuing education medical training, we offer periodic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and STOP THE BLEED® classes. Both of these courses are extremely valuable to first responders, residents, and the general public.
Nearly half a million Americans die from cardiac arrest each year. CPR classes provide hands-on training — including use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) — on what to do when someone stops breathing or their heart stops. CPR can double or triple a person’s chances of survival if initiated quickly and effectively. Participants who complete the course receive an American Red Cross CPR certificate.
Bleeding is the number one cause of preventable death after injury. STOP THE BLEED® classes offer hands-on bleeding control training and demonstrations. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma issues a certificate for successful completion of this course.
Questions?
If you have questions or suggestions about our training sessions, please let us know!