By Staff
Russellville Fire Chief Joe Mansell once told an FCT reporter that it was important to publicize the department's training because the public sometimes held the mis-conception that all firefighters do when there aren't any fires is "sit around and wash the trucks."
That could not be more wrong, and we're happy to help paint the real picture.
The truth is that the fire department is constantly busy — training in all kinds of potential scenarios that they might face as they work to keep us all safe.
Wednesday's "mock disaster" drill held at the Russellville Park and Recreation Center was a perfect example of that.
The scenario was simple enough: A bunch of high school kids are attending a tennis tournament when they find a backpack unattended. They open it, looking for identification of the owner, and there is a resulting explosion with a fine mist spraying all over the students, a mist that turns out to be a nerve agent.
Far-fetched in a town like Russell-ville? Perhaps, but not nearly as far off as we would like for it to be.
Drills like the one Wednes-day help keep the fire department ready to face real problems. Members of the department wake up every day willing to put their lives on the line to save ours. We commend everyone who had a hand in Wednesday's drill — the firemen, Russellville Hospital, the police department, and the students who were great actors.
While we hope the fire department never has to work a real scene like the one depicted, we will sleep better at night knowing they can if they have to.