Douglas Fire Department Engineer Robert Beecher completed a grueling six day, 60 hour training course on Feb. 3 to earn the prestigious title of a certified Georgia Smoke Diver #982. After completing a qualification course, Beecher was accepted into the Georgia Smoke Diver program. The Georgia Smoke Diver program is a physically and mentally demanding class, which has an attrition rate of about 50%. Developed in 1978, the Georgia Smoke Diver program has only certified 986 firefighters. Fire Engineer Beecher is the first from Douglas Fire Department to earn this certification.
“Beecher has spent numerous hours mentally preparing and training to achieve this goal,” says Chief Larry Wilson. “I, along with the entire Douglas Fire Department, congratulate Engineer Beecher for receiving this grand accomplishment.”
The mission of the Georgia Smoke Divers program is “to prevent death and injury by training firefighters to be adaptable and to develop critical decision making skills in high stress environments.” Firefighters who wish to compete to earn the chance to become certified, must have previously mastered Firefighter II level knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as be in top physical condition. Because of the prestige and the mission of the program, firefighters from all over the United States come to Georgia to see if they too can make it as one of the best in the nation.
For more information about the Georgia Smoke Diver course, http://www.georgiasmokediver.com.
– Submitted