Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder
Dumpster or trash container fires appear to be very simple operations yet hide perhaps as many if not more hazards than some structure fires. Since there is no perceived value to the dumpster and its contents, we sometimes approach these incidents with our guards down, only to get caught when a unknown cylinder, fuel source, or toxic by-product exposes our crews. Discuss tactics and safety considerations for these fires and emphasize that no smoke is safe–each of these fires is extremely dangerous and protection of the crews is paramount when attacking, overhauling, and operating at these incidents.
Firefighter Training: Responding to Dumpster and Trash Fires
Download this week’s firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.
MAD Training and Response Solutions
Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004. He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition. Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.
