Elizabethton's bravest are gearing up for an intensive training program to serve their community better. According to details published on Elizabethton's official site, each member of the Elizabethton Fire Department is engaged in a 40-hour in-service training course, a yearly requirement that equips them with vital knowledge spanning various emergency scenarios. The training encompasses CPR, fire inspections, Critical Incident Stress Management, and Emergency Vehicle Operations.

Assistant Fire Chief Andy Hardin said, "Every year we have to do a forty-hour inservice for the state and the state provides a training stipend for everyone who does it." To enhance the training efficacy, they've divided the course into two parts: "We have changed it up this year where we are doing 20 hours of in person training and 20 hours of live training. The state is allowing us to split it up this year," Hardin explained, as per the Elizabethton's official site.

The hands-on portion recently occurred in the City Council Chambers at Elizabethton City Hall. The firefighters practiced life-saving techniques such as properly administering CPR to both adult and infant dummies and operating an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). These skills are critical as they may often be the first responders in a situation where a person's life hangs by a thread, waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Recruits stand to benefit significantly from this rigorous program. "The training will be especially helpful for the two new firemen who recently began working for the department," Hardin stated, per the City of Elizabethton. Seeking to provide a fresh perspective and possibly enhance their skill set, Hardin is working hard to source different external trainers for this year's program. The CPR segment of the training was led by Carter County Rescue Squad's Jason Davenport and April Johnson, ensuring that the firefighters received instructions from seasoned professionals in emergency responses.