Elected officials learn how firefighters protect Pinellas County during annual event

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Firefighters are the unsung heroes of our communities, and for a few hours on Saturday, FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez got a glimpse of what it's like to literally walk in their boots at Fire Ops 101.

"Firefighters in Pinellas County work with the Pinellas County Fire Chiefs Association to host the event every year, and we invite all of our decision makers, policymakers, elected officials and anyone else that works in the community and wants to know what we do as firefighters," explained Michael Lewis, Executive VP of St. Petersburg Association of Firefighters. "They carry our gear, they see how expensive it is, how hot it is."

Participants wear it while doing exercises that mimic what first responders do on a daily basis.

Those included using the jaws of life to save a victim from a car accident, performing emergency medical services and even using thermal imaging cameras to help save victims from a fire in a simulated smoke-filled training tower.

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"It pretty much just gives the firefighters six cents as to how we find victims and also how we identify hotspots as well," said Lt. Chip Bodine with Pinellas Suncoast Fire Rescue.

It also gives local officials, like Clearwater Mayor, Bruce Rector, a better understanding of how they prepare to protect cities across Pinellas County.

"It really changes your perspective as a leader to experience a lot of the things that they go through every day and the training that they go through to make sure they're ready if duty calls," Rector added.

The Fire Ops 101 course happens annually at Clearwater Fire Rescue's training grounds.

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