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2020 Annual Report • Fire Department • St. Anthony Village, Minnesota <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />22 | Page <br /> <br />As time elapses, the incident may become worse or improve. Another key benefit to the Blue <br />Card model is that it’s scalable, meaning as the problem grows and more people are called in, <br />the system doesn’t become overrun. It gives whomever is in command the support they need to <br />fulfill tasks and ensure there’s oversite on all levels. This includes safety officers, division <br />officers, and other command staff. Safety officers, as the name implies, look out for the safety of <br />everyone on scene. Something like a sagging roof due to an attic fire or live wires on the ground <br />need to be watched for to keep everyone safe. Division officers manage units assigned to a <br />certain area. For example, if there’s a fire on the second and third floor of an apartment <br />building, there needs to be someone on each floor who can keep track of whose working and <br />how progress is coming on the fire attack. <br />This systemic approach to firefighting is much safer and effective in hazardous areas, and <br />anytime we can find something with multiple benefits and no downside, we seize the <br />opportunity. This training, which consisted of 50 hours of online training, plus another 16 hours <br />of in person real time scenarios, was one of the most valuable trainings we’ve ever pursued. The <br />online portion consisted of researched based strategic lessons, followed by scenarios to put the <br />knowledge to the test. The in person training was as in depth as could be without burning a <br />building down. With the use of projectors, several tablet computers, radios, all of the officers <br />from SAFD, and top level Blue Card trainers that also happen to be chiefs of various <br />departments around the metro, we were able to simulate several different types’ calls with real <br />time footage and decisions to make that <br />would change the outcome of the fire. From <br />a simple residential structure fire, to a hot <br />tub manufacturer, and even a tire <br />warehouse, we trained on a variety of <br />different conditions and structures to fully <br />utilize the capabilities of Blue Card. <br /> <br /> <br />The speed at which things unfold during a fire is truly hard to comprehend until you see it <br />firsthand. With strong evidence that newer style construction burns faster and hotter than older <br />buildings, every second from when the call goes out, to when the first engine arrives on scene is <br />vital. With the help of Blue Card training, that precious time is already accounted for to <br />maximize our efficiency in planning. What may appear to be a group of firefighters running