The Kalispell Fire Department spent over a week using a west-side house scheduled for demolition as a training site.
According to fire Chief Dave Dedman, the firefighters spent nine days at 1305 Fourth St. W., beginning with practicing quick entry techniques and searching for victims. After those exercises, the firefighters trained on rapid extrication, which they apply when one of their own goes down at a scene.
Dedman said his crews performed a lot of repetition in the house, which gave them the opportunity to conduct the search exercises in a blacked-out environment. The teams are using the structure as a shell for the training. It will not be burned down, Dedman said; it will be torn down in the typical fashion.
The exercises did not cause a disruption in fire department services for the community. Dedman also said he appreciated the patience and understanding of the area’s neighbors, since the training causes noise and traffic congestion.
“The neighbors have been good,” Dedman said.
Property owners within the city limits who are interested in donating a structure for the fire department’s training can begin the process by calling the Kalispell Fire Department at 758-7760.