City of Gaffney firefighters spent their afternoons this past week sending streams of water hundreds of feet across Irene Park. This wasn’t a test of their aim, however, but one of judgment.

During a technically complex training exercise, firefighters were given a limited flow of water and had to continually balance their pump controls while constantly monitoring water pressures on multiple lines.

“It’s definitely intended to make the guys think and to prepare some guys to be future pump operators,” Fire Chief Nathan Ellis said of the exercises. “It’s not just as simple as pulling lines off the truck and charging a hose.

“Much of what we do is routine,” the chief continued. “You do it without thinking about the steps you’re taking. In scenarios like this, you have to think back to your training and determine things that aren’t always cut and dried.”