Columbia County Fire Rescue describes expanded services, training and recruitment plans

Columbia County Fire Rescue officials described the department’s specialized teams, training standards, station network and recruitment process in an on-site interview at county fire headquarters.

Deputy Fire Chief Brent Willis said the department has raised medical training expectations for all staff and maintains multiple specialty teams to respond to hazards beyond structure fires. “Well, 1 of the things, that we've done is we require all of our personnel to be at a minimum of the EMT level, and we do have some personnel trained at the paramedic level,” Willis said.

The department requires over 200 hours of firefighter training per year and maintains specialty teams, Willis said, including a dive team for drownings, a swift-water rescue team for rivers and canals and a hazardous-materials response team. “Our special operations teams, they do require additional training and certification…