Local firefightersget realistic training with old house donated for destruction

Washington and Wilkes County firefightersworked in teams at the donated burn house on Pope Street early Saturday morning, practicing firesuppression and interior fireattack techniques.

Some 30 Washington and Wilkes County firefightersgot some handson training fighting a structure fireunder monitored conditions Saturday morning with a controlled burn of a house on Pope Street in Washington.

Fire Chief Alan Poss said that the homeowner had donated the structure to firetraining because she needed the old house demolished to build a new home on the lot.

Under the watchful eyes of train- ers, experienced firefighters set small fires in the rear bedroom of the house. Firefightersworked in hose teams to practice approaching the burning bedroom, putting down the flames, then getting out safely.

"Using an acquired structure is probably some of the best training a firefightercan have," Poss said. "It's the most realistic training for firesuppression and interior fireattack and how the firebehaves."

After several cycles of hose teams entering the house, putting down the flames, and safely leaving, the firewas allowed to safely consume the old home, with hose teams containing the fireon the property.

The exercise also helped trained firedepartment leaders on use of the incident command system, and Wilkes County EMS personnel were on-hand to monitor the blood pressure and pulse rate of firefightersboth before and after they suited up and practiced.

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