The USFS recommends extensive training with New Generation Fire Shelters, and Anchor Industries' New Generation Practice Fire Shelter is a great training tool!

The USDA Forest Service makes it abundantly clear: Seconds are critical. Confidence is essential. The US Fire Service recommends extensive and repeated hands-on training in shelter deployment as an essential element of fire shelter success. Include a complete set of these re-usable practice shelters with your department’s order as a necessary part of the system.

These non-protective practice systems are designed to closely simulate the deployment and operation of the actual fire shelter. Frequent and repeated training with these non-protective systems is intended make each firefighter comfortable with the use of the shelter and confident in his ability to deploy the system quickly and correctly in an actual emergency. All components are made to the same size and dimensions as the regular size M-2002 New Generation Fire Shelter to provide a realistic practice experience. The cost-effective New Generation Practice Fire Shelter system is made to be reused many times. The non-fire-resistant practice “shelter” is constructed from tough green plastic with a bright orange practice carrying case and reusable tear-open polyvinyl bag—all designed to avoid any chance of confusion with a real fire shelter.

• Reusable, non-protective practice shelter system simulates deployment a real New Generation Fire Shelter
• Specifically designed and approved for training wildland crews in the use of the M-2002 system
• Green plastic practice shelter and bright orange shelter bag prevent confusion with an actual shelter
• Reusable polyvinyl inner bag simulates tear-open bag used with a real shelter
• Instructional DVD available separately

Specifications:

Dimensions	Regular
Folded in Case	8.5"H x 5.5"W x 4"D
Deployed	86"L x 15.5"H x 31"W

 

“Repeated hands-on training in shelter deployment is an essential part of fire shelter training. Firefighters have died when they were unable to deploy their shelters in time. Each year, every firefighter should practice fire shelter drills repeatedly. Drill until each step, from dropping your gear to deploying your shelter, can be done automatically. Practice should allow you to deploy the new shelter in 15 to 20 seconds. Firefighters who have been through entrapments have reported that deploying the shelter had a calming effect—they were doing something they had been trained to do. The more you practice using your shelter, the more likely you are to react correctly in an emergency.” The New Generation Fire Shelter A Publication of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group,  Fire Equipment Working Team, March 2003 Leslie Anderson, Project Leader

 

Replacement Practice Polyvinyl Bag: Order extras. This part is designed to simulate the action of the tear-open bag used with the real fire shelter. While re-usable many times, it is a part that can be subject to substantial stress during repeated training operations. Having a supply of these inexpensive bags on hand can ensure that your training programs keep moving along at the necessary pace, and that all your practice fire shelter systems are able to be used. NFES #2681

Instructional DVD (available separately): Complete instructions for both the Standard Fire and Practice Shelters. While included with each Shelter System, having extra copies of this 26-minute instructional DVD can allow you to lend copies to trainees for study at home to familiarize themselves with the system prior to actual hands-on training. Includes audio in both English and Spanish. Forest Service Spec 5100-606.