RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — Firefighters with Sac Metro Fire are getting ready for fire season by training off-road.
For the next two months, Sac Metro firefighters will be going through a course in Rancho Cordova to learn or have a refresher to drive off-road. The course is in the Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area.
Charles Nicholas is one of the EVOC instructors.
"The worst thing that could happen is that they get on scene and they try to do something and they get stuck and they're no use and the fire continues to burn," Nicholas said.
Firefighters cannot avoid the conditions. It's what they will often have to deal with during fire season.
"It's not uncommon for us to have two to three grass fires in a 24-hour period. So, it could be that they're doing this multiple times a day," Nicholas said.
He's showing firefighters how to drive with 2WD and 4WD trucks. All 475 firefighters will attend the morning or afternoon class with the department. However, even if you're not a firefighter, Nicholas recommends people to try to take a course.
"You may in an emergency situation drive somewhere to escape the dangers of a wildfire, and having that capability and knowledge of using your vehicle to your advantage can save your life," Nicholas said.
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