A real fire, in real time
Jun. 15—Normally firefighters will extinguish flames, not start them, but they experienced the flip side as fire departments in Whitman County burnt down a home in Pullman.
The City of Pullman Fire Department, along with other departments, conducted training exercises for firefighters Wednesday. Large flames and plumes of smoke were seen from a house adjacent to Mary's Park as the structure was set ablaze.
Andrew Chiavaras, training officer and assistant fire chief at Pullman Fire Department, said the opportunity only comes around every so often.
Fire training exercises this year were made possible by the City of Pullman, which donated the home. Chiavaras said training happens only when buildings are given to the department, which can sometimes be years apart.
The last training the department put on was last year, Chiavaras said, when a homeowner donated a residence across from the station in Pullman.
"It really only happens when the opportunity arises," Chiavaras said. "I mean, it benefits us and our firefighters, it's a great opportunity. We get rid of the structure in a safe way, and we can train new and veteran firefighters in a controlled environment in real time."
Chiavaras said training can take two to three weeks to prepare. He added safety is one of the biggest priorities for the department, which has been working to mitigate hazards that come with burning down a building.
For the past few weeks crews have been patching holes and locking doors, as well as pulling out glass windows, electrical equipment and anything that could create an explosion. In addition, Chiavaras said the department notified residents nearby so the community is aware of the controlled fire.
"We follow standards for live burns and we take a lot of safety measures," Chiavaras said. "The last thing that we would want to do is have someone get hurt in this controlled environment."
Because fire training isn't annual, Chiavaras said departments from around Whitman participated in the live burn. Fire District 4 Palouse and Fire District 12 joined the Pullman Fire Department. He added both new and veteran firefighters partook in the experience.
As well as burning down the structure and extinguishing fires inside, Chiavaras said firefighters practiced other valuable skills. The departments conducted ladder work, hose line deployment, roof operations and search and rescue.
Trainings like these are priceless for firefighters, Chiavaras said. Rather than practicing in a virtual simulated fire, firefighters get fire training experience in real time. He added the environment is controlled rather than an actual fire, which can be unpredictable.
"This is critical for all fire departments to experience a live burn," Chiavaras said. "We're preparing our firefighters for dangerous situations and possible life threatening emergencies."
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com.
