Former Marine now does training

Phil Mitchell has been with McMinnville Fire Department since his retirement nine years ago. Before that time, he was a Marine for 22 years.

?I?m originally from Nashville,? said Mitchell, ?but when I retired from the Marines, I moved here. I wanted a job with no responsibilities and no uniform.?

He might have wanted that, but that?s not what he found after answering an ad for a firefighter position.

?Now, I?m responsible for overseeing their training,? said Mitchell, referring to the firefighters. ?If they need training within the department or if it?s getting them into the academy or any type of advanced training they need to get, I make sure they get it. I have to get that training lined up and make sure they complete it.?

After their initial training, a 300-hour rookie course, there is a 120-hour firefighter II class, advanced training, and officer training. All this training keeps the firefighters up to date with procedures.

?There are a lot of procedures,? said Mitchell. ?There are some you might not know the first time but you learn pretty quick. Everything seems to follow along the same type of line, so the next time you?ll know what to do.?

Technology changes and so does procedure.

?We have a lot of training now,? said Mitchell, ?much more than we used to have. It used to be that you could jump on the tailboard of the fire engine and go to a fire but not anymore. Safety initiatives change and we have to change.?

During a fire, Mitchell is also the safety officer.

?Realistically, the overall aspect of my job,? said Mitchell, ?is making sure these guys go home. That?s a No. 1 priority. We send them home the same way they came in, with 10 toes, 10 fingers, and alive.?

Among his other responsibilities, Mitchell also teaches city classes.

?I teach CPR and AED type training,? said Mitchell. ?I?ve also conducted defibrillator training for the city and educate about airborne and blood-borne pathogens.?

Being the training officer requires Mitchell to undergo considerable training himself.

?If something new comes in,? said Mitchell, ?I have to go through training so I can find out exactly what needs to be done and make sure it gets done. Whether it?s something the state requires or something that is required from other agencies, I have to go through training.?

As well as keeping the fire department and city employees safe, Mitchell and the department dedicate themselves to educating as well as protecting the community.

?This past Saturday,? said Mitchell, ?we were out at the health fair at Three Star Mall. We try and get involved with the community, anything positive. The more people know that we?re here, the more they feel they can rely on us.?

Educating the public about fire safety may not prevent a fire, but it could end up protecting children and adults.

?We visit schools,? said Mitchell, ?as well as local businesses and organize station tours for classes. We talk about the importance of smoke detectors and we talk to kids about stop, drop, and roll.?

As for his complicated and extensive responsibilities, Mitchell refers to himself as a ?jack of all trades? and takes his responsibilities very seriously.