Tulsa Fire Cadets Go Through 24-Hour Training

A new group of Tulsa Fire Department cadets is just a week away from officially becoming firefighters.

To mark the occasion, the cadets are going through 24 hours of continuous training; it’s the first time the Tulsa Fire Department has done training like that.

It's meant to be a real eye-opener about what life could be like on the job.

Training started at 7:00 Wednesday morning for the Tulsa Fire Department cadets, with what Captain Kofi Wallace calls a rite of passage.

"The BOK climb. We do the equivalent of 52 floors in full gear," he said.

TFD simulated what a 24-hour shift at a fire station could look like.

"They are actually cooking the meals like they would at a fire station. Then, every two to three hours they are doing some type of big event to simulate a fire call," said Chief of Training Brian Lloyd.

The training comes just weeks before the cadets become official firefighters for the City.

"Any possible thing that these cadets could get out and face in a 24-hour period - we are just trying to give them a little taste of what to expect," Lloyd said.

Car fires, house fires, traffic accidents and mayday emergencies are just a few of the simulations the cadets will be working through.

"We try to always tell them, think outside the box. If you get into a situation there is not a rule book. If it works, do it," Lloyd said.

He said the 24-hour session goes above and beyond the state's mandated training requirements.

"Your first shift something big could happen where your captain or your driver goes down and it's up to you to, pretty much, to save the day," Lloyd said.

He said when seconds count the extra training could save lives.

"Although they are new, we have hammered into their heads the last five months that while your job is to listen and learn, you have to also not be afraid to step up and take charge," Lloyd said.

The department hopes to continue this type of training with future cadets.