By Rodd Cayton, The Paper. — It wasn’t exactly a test Oct. 10 in Placitas, but many did P.A.S.S. The Placitas Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Alliance (PREP) and Placitas Volunteer Fire Department Station No. 41 teamed up for an open house that centered on training anyone who was interested in proper fire extinguisher use. Firefighters led attendees through the P.A.S.S. (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) method.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, that means:
Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from the body and release the locking mechanism.
Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.
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| The Placitas Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Alliance (PREP) and Placitas Volunteer Fire Department Station No. 41 teamed up for an open house that centered on training anyone who was interested in proper fire extinguisher use. (Courtesy photo) |
PREP President Allen Saville told The Paper. the event was generally considered a success. He said that by a conservative estimate, 35 people took the training, from kids to adults in their 90s. “We didn’t keep an exact count, but there was a steady stream,” Saville said.
He said that with firefighters on hand to guide them, many reported increased confidence after a little bit of practice, which was the organization’s goal. Saville said knowing the routine from practicing on orange traffic cones will leave residents less likely to be flustered when there’s a real fire to put out. He said earlier that if the person closest to the fire can attack it early, that means the fire department is less likely to need to finish it with large amounts of water.
The event also included an opportunity for community members to look at fire apparatus up close and have crews explain the trucks’ functions and equipment. At a table inside the station, PREP representatives shared information sheets on topics such as fire-mitigation strategies and “go-bags.” The latter will be the subject of PREP’s next community briefing, expected in late February.