March 11, 2013 – – Dozens of San Diego Fire-Rescue firefighters spent the weekend of March 9-10 in downtown San Diego, honing basic firefighting skills in unfamiliar territory, thanks to a generous offer from InDev and its partner Canter Companies, to utilize three structures for training in fire attack, search and rescue techniques, roof ventilation and downed firefighter rescue.
Utilizing a carefully scripted rotation, apparatus and crews were able to stage close to the training ground, while next-in crews were able to stage in the next block prior to moving up.
According to Battalion Chief Jim Gaboury, the houses, which were slated for demolition, provided a totally unfamiliar training area for SDFD crews. With blacked-out windows and a complete lack of visibility thanks to smoke generators, fire crews were able to practice in and learn from the exact conditions they would encounter during a response to any home in San Diego with a totally unknown floorplan.
Capping off the training for each group of crews was a fire-attack drill, complete with a badly injured firefighter in the basement, who was incapacitated after falling through the first floor.
