Training for fire disasters - Explorer Scouts, reserve firefighters participate in live fire drills

Chances are good that a single act of generosity from one man will benefit many people for years to come.

Because of a sizable cash donation from Fallbrook resident Rodney Raphael, North County Fire Protection District (NCFPD) was able to rent a specialized training facility at the San Marcos Safety Center for its Explorer Scouts and reserve personnel. Raphael, appreciative of the outstanding service he has received three times in the past six months from the district’s personnel, gifted North County Fire with the funds to use as they saw fit.

“Our goal is not to use <a donation> to do normal stuff; a special gift should be used in a special way,” said NCFPD Chief Bill Metcalf. “We got the senior staff together and discussed our ‘wish list’ – the things we’d like but haven’t had the money to do. One thing that is always near the top of the list is to give young men and women a chance to grow and train and learn more about firefighting. It just happened that the amount Mr. Raphael donated is about what it takes to send a group to the training center. We were able to send approximately 20 people for training – 18 Explorers and two reserves.”

The training event, held Saturday, March 31, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., primarily focused on live fire training. Explorer Scouts and reserve firefighters practiced victim rescue and ladder operations. For many, it was their first experience of this kind.

“There is absolutely nothing like it,” Metcalf said. “We can talk about it, show pictures of what it’s like in the fire, but there is absolutely nothing that compares to it when you can put people in a fire situation where they can feel the heat.”

“Generally speaking, patients/victims are very thankful for the services that they receive from the fire department, whether it is a fire, traffic collision or medical aid,” said John Buchanan, public information officer for North County Fire. “Mr. Rodney Raphael is one of those individuals.”

Raphael, who immigrated to the United States 48 years ago from the Australia-New Zealand area, said he wanted to make the donation as a way of “giving back.”

“I have always believed if you take something away then you have to put something back,” Raphael said. “These young people who work at these fire departments work in peril of their lives and help people like me who can’t help themselves sometimes because of illness. They’ve helped me on many occasions and I felt that they should be rewarded in some way. That’s why I made the donation.”

Reserve firefighters are part-time employees who have graduated from the fire academy but are waiting to attend paramedic school because of a mandatory one-year waiting/experience period. While awaiting their paramedic schooling, their primary job is to drive ambulances and serve as firefighters.

The Fire Explorer program is offered through Boy Scouts of America. Explorers range in age from 15 to 21 and meet once each week for training sessions. Interestingly enough, Mr. Raphael earned the rank of Eagle Scout in his youth in Australia.

“According to the chief, they used my donation to train young people who want to be firefighters,” Raphael said. “I would like to see other donations come in for the program, maybe from other retirees in the area.”