New York firefighters train at Resolve academy Gray Manatee simulator puts crews in realistic situations filled with live fire, smoke and water
Lt. Robert Dixon of the New York City Fire Department talks to firefighters at the Gray Manatee training vessell, Thursday, March 28, 2013 at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale. (Joe Cavaretta, Sun Sentinel / March 28, 2013)
By Arlene Satchell, Sun Sentinel
4:45 a.m. EDT, March 29, 2013
They've fought hundreds of building fires in their career, but on Thursday a group of New York City firefighters were involved in a firefight of a different kind in Fort Lauderdale.
The group of 17 learned how to safely fight infernos aboard ships during a training course at Resolve Maritime Academy's three-story, 140-foot long Gray Manatee simulator at Port Everglades.
For New York City Fire Department Capt. Stephen Lonergan, of one of the key goals in the five-day course is to learn about the safety and communication issues that can occur when fighting fire below the main deck of a ship.
"That's a whole different environment," said Lonergan. "We're good at going up, not so good at going down."
Resolve's marine firefighting training simulator has an engine room, galley, catwalks and multiple watertight doors and hatches. It also has more than 20 compartments connected by horizontal and vertical passageways.
