SILVANA — To save a firefighter’s life was the mission of the Snohomish County Fire District No. 19 of Silvana when they hosted a training May 3, said Captain Chad Berg of District 19.

Firefighters from all over the Puget Sound region came to Silvana on May Day for a day of training on “firefighter survivability.”

It was an appropriate date for the event, since “Mayday” is the term firefighters use to call for help from their fellow comrades when critical problems occur.

“It’s critical for firefighters to recognize when and how to effectively call a Mayday,” Berg said.

The hands-on program taught the essential Mayday parameters needed at fire emergencies. Firefighters were placed in several realistic scenarios in blacked-out and smoky conditions where they were required to take the appropriate life-saving action to make it out alive.

Along with “Mayday” parameters and procedures, the course content included orientation, disentanglement, breathing apparatus emergencies, and other life-saving skills for the lost or trapped firefighter.

In addition to Station 94’s classroom, the hands-on training took place at a structure on 188th Street NE.

Instruction was provided by members of the Southwest Washington chapter of the Fraternal Order of Leatherheads Society (F.O.O.L.S.) and members of the Chehalis Fire Department and Lacey Fire District No. 3.

The organization’s mission is to provide realistic training to brother and sister firefighters in an effort to reduce the line-of-duty deaths for firefighters.

Each year the United States Fire Service averages 100 line-of-duty deaths. Other than cardiac failure, the leading cause of death is when firefighters become trapped, entangled or disoriented and eventually run out of air.

The F.O.O.L.S. work to minimize these numbers.

Firefighters in the training represented ten different agencies, including Silvana District No. 19, Camano Island Fire & Rescue, Getchell Fire District No. 22, Lake Stevens District No. 8, Snohomish County Fire District No. 7, South Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Oso Fire District No. 25, Monroe District No. 3, South King Fire & Rescue and Eastside Fire & Rescue.

District No. 19 plans to host future trainings for outside agencies as well as for its own personnel, Berg said.

“A well-trained team is safer and provides more efficient service to the public,” Berg said.

“Our people are willing to put themselves at risk at a moments notice for the sake of the communities they have vowed to protect. The training provided was realistic and extremely important to firefighters that stand guard on a daily basis.”

nal Order of Leatherheads Society (F.O.O.L.S.) and members of the Chehalis Fire Department and Lacey Fire District No. 3.

The organization’s mission is to provide realistic training to brother and sister firefighters in an effort to reduce the line-of-duty deaths for firefighters.

Each year the United States Fire Service averages 100 line-of-duty deaths. Other than cardiac failure, the leading cause of death is when firefighters become trapped, entangled or disoriented and eventually run out of air.

The F.O.O.L.S. work to minimize these numbers.

Firefighters in the training represented 10 different agencies, including Silvana District No. 19, Camano Island Fire & Rescue, Getchell Fire District No. 22, Lake Stevens District No. 8, Snohomish County Fire District No. 7, South Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Oso Fire District No. 25, Monroe District No. 3, South King Fire & Rescue and Eastside Fire & Rescue.

District No. 19 plans to host future trainings for outside agencies as well as for its own personnel, Berg said.

“A well-trained team is safer and provides more efficient service to the public,” Berg said.

“Our people are willing to put themselves at risk at a moments notice for the sake of the communities they have vowed to protect. The training provided was realistic and extremely important to firefighters that stand guard on a daily basis.”