BY LES BAKER
On March 7, 2008, two firefighters from the Salisbury (NC) Fire Department were killed when they were trapped by rapidly deteriorating fire conditions inside a millwork and manufacturing facility. During the aftermath, several department members visited the Charleston Fire Department (CFD) to shadow personnel in various divisions with the intent of observing a department that had endured a similar tragedy (the Sofa Super Store fire on June 18, 2007), faced internal and external review by countless agencies, and was instituting changes on multiple organizational levels. During their time at the training division, they were taught a little known drill that involves tires laid out in a grid and the broad spectrum of potential lessons that could be learned from navigating between them. From that event, the Nine Tire Drill evolved into a necessary component of our recruit class curriculum as well as that of the South Carolina Firefighter Survival School.
Author's note: Portions of this article were contributed by members of the Charleston Recruit Class 1201, "Fortitude of Mind."
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