RUMFORD – A Fire Department drill held at the Chisholm School on Wednesday revealed a need for greater coordination to determine firefighters’ skills.

Finding such needs, however, was the purpose of the surprise training exercise that involved several area fire departments, Rumford Fire Department Lt. Rob Dixon said.

“We wanted to establish a baseline level of service, to see how proficiently we operate and to find what we need to work on,” he said.

Dixon said he had been planning the drill for several months, including working with the Chisholm Head Start Program.

During the 35-minute exercise, youngsters were away on a walking field trip. Firefighters dealt with staff, including two who were part of the exercise who were “trapped” on an upper floor.

Dixon said the scenario included an electrical malfunction that created smoke that set off a smoke detector. The two teachers were then “trapped” because the smoke blocked the door and they had to be rescued from a window by a ladder.

The officers from several area fire departments were notified that the exercise would take place on Wednesday.

The turnout, however, was not high, including that from the Rumford Fire Department.

Dixon said only two call force members from the Rumford Fire Department appeared, along with three full-time on-duty firefighters. Mexico Fire Department sent about a half-dozen people, Dixfield two, and Peru two, along with at least one firetruck from each department.

“We have to call so many departments because of the low turnout,” he said of real fires and emergencies.

He said the exercise showed a need for a coordinator to determine the level of training each firefighter from mutual aid departments has. He said at least two of the firefighters who turned out during the surprise exercise were not qualified to enter a burning building.

Because so many firefighters arrive individually in their own vehicles, a coordinator is needed to place people with similar training into companies to then fight a fire with their particular level of skill and training.

“This exercise helped establish some benchmarks,” Dixon said.

The data from the exercise will be reviewed by the fire chief, deputy fire chief, and participating members to help determine the kinds of training needed.

He said, too, that the Chisholm School staff also learned that they need to appoint an incident commander, or “go to” person in case of any emergencies.

Dixon said the Rumford Fire Department will meet with the school’s staff and review the data.

A second drill will likely be called in the future.