(Photo by Zachary Meseck)

OXFORD – Fire service instructors presented to Chenango County’s firefighters on Wednesday night, and said what was taught 20 years ago was wrong and has actually done more harm than good to the people they’re supposed to be helping.

The presentation was sponsored by the Oxford Fire Department. Representatives from other departments including Norwich, Greene, and McDonough Fire Departments paid a fee for attendance.

According to Meridian Fire Training Solutions Fire Service Instructor Tom Basher Jr., much of what was taught to firefighters in the past has actually made fires worse, and it’s up to modern day firefighters to avoid making mistakes based on past practices.

Basher said years’ worth of firefighters have been taught to fear “pushing” a fire around a home, to cut a hole directly above the fire, and to smash windows on every home for ventilation. He said those concepts have been proven to make the fire worse, and that closing all of the doors in a home makes a fire less likely to flare up because it’s deprived of oxygen.

“Be careful when you decide to go into that smoky building to put out the fire, because it might be waiting for you to open that door,” said Basher. “If you can see the flames when you get out of the truck, start your attack right away from the outside.”