U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A RY L A N D | M A RY L A N D F I R E A N D R E S C U E I N S T I T U T E
MFRI BULLETIN OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2023
VOL.53
NO.4
HILL STAFFERS AND CIVILIANS FIGHT FIRES FOR A DAY
With turnout gear secure and carefully inspected by instructors, more than 60 people took part in Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) Day at MFRI headquarters in early October. Established to introduce congressional staffers and affiliated civilians to the rigors of firefighting, participants conquered flames with fire extinguishers and as a team using hose line advancement. They also relied on breathing apparatus, entering a fire in the burn building. Other rotations included soaring up in an aerial tower bucket, crawling through the pitch-dark maze and using the jaws of life. Participants included 25 House of Representatives and Senate staffers and employees from the Federal Aviation Administration (FA A), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), House Science Committee, National Volunteer Fire Council and University of Maryland. “There’s no better way to understand the demands of firefighting than to have staffers walk in their boots,”
said Michael Cox, Executive Director of MFRI. “By partnering with CFSI, we aim to educate elected officials so that when legislation arises, they fully understand the challenges and associated costs of being a first responder.” Content Specialist Amanda Srsic from FSRI explained how the experience gave her a new appreciation for the work of the fire service. “So many of the activities put us in circumstances that went against human instinct. When you’re standing in a 4000o F room or crawling through a dark enclosed space, your whole body is telling you to get out. And yet, no matter how hot or disoriented you feel, you have to fight that instinct and keep going. It’s amazing that firefighters have trained to fight this instinct, especially under stressful conditions and when the stakes are so high. This experience has only deepened my respect for the fire service.” More than 20 MFRI staffers assisted on-site with Tim Delahanty taking the logistical lead to ensure the annual event, held for more than 30 years, went smoothly.