it’s been a weekend of hands-on training for area firefighters.
Yesterday, our Elspeth Mizner showed us how Dobler Hose in Girard used an old house to teach safety in firefighting.
Today, though, was the real test of skill when fire instructors and those in training set out to literally burn the house down. All morning and afternoon, crews did multiple rounds of training before they demolished the building. The structure took a couple of hours to burn down entirely.
One student told us the house took longer to fall than expected — a reminder that older wood construction can hold on much longer than newer homes.
They also learned why having a solid entrance and exit plan matters, and why the front door isn’t always the safest way in or out.
Both the students and the deputy chief say this kind of training is critical. And tonight at 11, you’ll hear from the captain of the Erie Fire Department, sharing what these exercises mean for the next generation of firefighters.