DRILL NIGHTS

Monday night at Elm Lane Fire Station from 18:30 to 21:00

Drill nights are our weekly meeting nights & members should make every effort to attend as often as possible. Although the basic skills are practiced on a regular basis, every week is different and so more complex or specilised training may not be repeated for some time. Members who are absent for more than six weeks in any two month period, without good reason, can risk losing their place at Elm Lane YFS. The main purpose of drill nights is to learn and practice fire fighting techniques, practice with fire fighting equipment, learn about the Fire Service, the theory of fire fighting and fire prevention. Other areas of training on drill nights are for BTEC, fitness, sports, first aid and parade.

A TYPICAL DRILL NIGHT

• Arrive before 18:30 in full uniform
• 18:30 - Parade on drill yard
• 18:35 - Lecture or drill briefing in cabin (5 to 25 min)
• 19:00 - Change in to full fire kit for drill session
• 19:00 - Pre-drill warm up (5 to 10min)
• 19:10 - Drill session 1 (use of pumps, hose & ladders)
• 19:50 - Break (cold drinks, chocolate)
• 20:00 - Drill session 2 (using equipment from session 1)
• 20:40 - Kit cleaning & change out of fire kit
• 20:45 - Updating BTEC folders & cabin cleaning
• 20:55 - Parade on drill yard
• 21:00 - Dismiss

PARADE

Parade is how we start and end every drill night. Each member lines up in their Watch with the LYFf (OIC Watch) on the right down to the newest Watch member on the left.

LECTURE

There's no writing allowed during our lectures so don't worry, it's not like school. You can't listen and write at the same time and we would rather you listen. Lectures are just how we learn about something in a less practical way so we stay warm and dry in the cabin. It can be anything from how to operate a piece of equipment we'll be using on drill to first aid and resuscitation. Lectures are kept to a maximum of half an hour as that's as long as an average person can give 100% concentration. Nearly all our lectures, as with drills, have a direct link to at least one area of the BTEC Award.  

DRILL

A drill night usually consists of two drill sessions both lasting around 40 minutes; they are always practical and all members must wear full fire kit. Drill can be anything from tying knots to rescuing casualties from a simulated first floor bedroom fire using pumps, ladders, hose and lots of water. The theory of drill is first to learn a skill then perfect it and finally practice until it becomes second nature. Drill sessions are where Young Firefighters learn many of the same skills as Firefighters and so sometimes it can seem like hard work, especially at first, but it's also where we have the most fun and it does get easier with practice.