About Luminox Code Red Survival Course Station 4

The fourth station of the Luminox Code Red Survival Course simulated search and rescue mission in a blazing fire. My team mates and I managed to experience the intense process of gearing up in firefighter clothing as well as to extinguish a burning vehicle within a time limit where #everyseondcounts. This could be a matter of life and death for a victim stuck in a burning car. The first and foremost important component to battle a fire in a life threatening situation is the firefighter’s uniform. A firefighter’s uniform is called Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), designed to protect them against the hazards and chemical exposure of fire fighting in extreme environments. It is not only expensive but heavy to maneuver through a raging fire with the PPE weighing at about 20kg even with the basic tools such as the helmet, coats, pants, gloves, boots and air pack.

After gearing up, two participants were teamed to operate one hose from a fire engine - a nozzleman and a backup firefighter who kept the hose line close while his or her shoulder was pressed against the nozzleman’s back. While the task looked simple as it merely required holding a hose and spraying water, it was more challenging than I thought it would be. When the hose was turned on, it ejected large amounts of water that pushed the hose back and resulted in us trying to battle the force.

Every player in the team held great responsibilities and required skills to managed the hose. It taught us the importance of teamwork to put out a fire and that the backup firefighter and nozzle man needed to have great coordination.

Luminox is a proud supporter of the Navy SEAL foundation, Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE SAR) and Malaysian International Search and Rescue (MISAR)


By Vanessa Leong (Participant of the Luminox Code Red Survival Course)