Training burn helps SPFD train new firefighters, keep veterans frosty
By Brandi Makuski
With about half of the department’s members having been sworn in within the last 18 months or so, the Stevens Point Fire Department will take every training opportunity it can get.
Fire Chief Jb Moody said SPFD trains daily in some fashion, and regularly utilizes vacancy buildings for hands-on training purposes. At the beginning of April, the department underwent a training scenario in the former Applebee’s location on Hwy. 10, supposing a catastrophic restaurant fire with one victim in the building.
On April 8, the crew held a training burn at a vacant home owned by the school district at 333 Second St. North. The home was previously a rental property for the district, but it’s fallen into disrepair and has been vacant for four years, according to Tom Owens, business director for the school district.
Moody said the chance to practice extinguishing a house fire in a controlled environment is one that firefighters will never pass up.
“This is a little different than just being able simulate fire, we’re actually able to get some live-fire experience for our members,” Moody said on Saturday. “We’ll take it every chance we can get it because no matter how experienced you become, there’s always more to learn.”
Beyond fighting the fire, crews can observe fire behavior during a live burn — and take the time to study and discuss what they’re seeing, because they’ll likely encounter it on the scene of a real emergency.
“We’ve got a lot of new members who might not have seen a structure fire yet,” said Battalion Chief Victor Kedrowski. “You can’t get this kind of experience any other way, so we’re lucky when these opportunities roll along.”
Kedrowski said crews spent most of the morning running through drills inside the building, putting out smaller fires and practicing forced entry. Nearby trees were protected with a water curtain — a constant stream of water from a firehose.
The department previously participated in a multi-department training burn in Hull. Kedrowski said area residents should expect to see additional outdoor training as the whether warms up.
Moody said more experienced firefighters mentored new members on safely breaking through windows and doors, roof ventilation, and other fire tactics.
“You can learn a lot about what’s going on inside the house without even going inside if you can learn to read the smoke,” Moody said.
