Josh Tyler, a lieutenant with Clackamas Fire, has become a certified Georgia Smoke Diver – a distinction no other Oregon firefighter claims.
Since the creation of the Georgia Smoke Diver program in 1978, there have been 59 classes and over 1,100 students completing the course. The idea behind the training is to raise up “thinking” firefighters, according to Tyler.
The grueling training pushes participants to their limits, both physically and mentally, to become better firefighters. On average, fewer than half pass the training, and Tyler did just that.
The Georgia Smoke Diver course is a six-day, 60-hour program that includes between 10 to 12-hour drills each day designed for the experienced firefighter. The program covers realistic training in self-survival (including full water submersion in firefighting gear), firefighter rescue, advanced search and rescue, thermal imaging, emergency procedures, teamwork, discipline, situational awareness and decision-making.