Twenty-nine Curry County volunteer firefighters – already armed with the skills to battle fires – are now official first responders, trained to give more than just the basic first aid and CPR to victims at the scene of disasters.

“We’re more medically trained now than before,” said Jeff Lee, captain with Brookings Fire and Rescue. “We’re just not sitting with the patient until the ambulance arrives; we can administer some help until they arrive.”

Starting in January, 40 volunteer firefighters from Gold Beach to Harbor signed up for the latest First Responder program offered by Cal-Ore Life Flight and taught by Cal-Ore paramedic Mandy Summers. Last weekend, 29 of them passed the vigorous tests to earn their first responder certification.

“It was great to help the volunteers that we all rely on so much,” Summers said. Firefighters are often the first to arrive at the scene of a fire, car accident or other catastrophe but, other than basic CPR and first aid skills, many haven’t been trained to do things such as triage, administer oxygen, apply splints and spinal immobilization. Cal-Ore’s first responder course was designed teach them those skills.

“It expands their basic skills and puts them in a position to better help victims,” Summers said. “I’m very impressed with how well they did.”

The firefighters spent 46 hours – four or five hours, two nights a week, and eight hours on Saturday or Sunday – studying books and learning practical skills. The course cost each student $350; however, the firefighters received the training for free because of a $3,200 grant obtained by Cal-Ore Life Flight that covered books and a projector. The ambulance company also donated equipment and Summer’s time and expertise for the course.

“About 65 percent of the firefighters in Curry County are now first responders. I want 95 percent,” said Cal-Ore Life Flight General Manager Joe Gregario.

It’s possible. Gregario said he’s already received calls from the area’s fire departments requesting another class, which could be scheduled in another three months. He is also considering an EMT (emergency medical technician) course sometime after that.

“We have a huge number of volunteer firefighters in Curry County,” Gregario said. “They are a huge asset and we want them to do more than fight fires.”

He added, “The firefighters don’t get paid. They’re doing all of this on their own time and we really appreciate all they do.”

Getting certified as a first responder was a big deal for Harbor Fire Department firefighter Darryl Harmon, who used some of his new skills a few weeks ago when responding to the call of an elderly woman who hit her head and went into cardiac arrest.

The patient was unresponsive and the ambulance hadn’t arrived.

“Because of the class, I knew how to properly care for her,” Harmon said. That care included suctioning her throat free of vomit so she could breath, he said.

“I never imagined myself in the medical field, but this class came very easy for me and now I’m considering EMT training,” he said.

Harbor Fire Chief John Brazil took the first-responder class to update his skills.

“With this class, Cal-Ore was basically helping us to help them help the community,” Brazil said. “The partnership we have with Cal-Ore is a great asset to the community.”