HFD conducts training

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
FIERY SHOW — A Houlton firefighter stands silhouetted in front of the Military Street house used for a training exercise Nov. 17. The property, which was owned by Dave Cunha, was used numerous times over the past four months before it was burned to the ground.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — If you build a fire, people will come.
    In a scene reminiscent of the annual July Fourth parade, dozens of vehicles lined Military Street and filled St. Mary’s Catholic Church parking lot Nov. 17 to watch the Houlton Fire Department burn down a house in a controlled environment.
    The controlled burn capped several months of training inside the structure, which is owned by Dave Cunha.
    “We were very fortunate to have a structure that was in good enough condition so it was safe for firefighters to enter and train in,” Cone said. “It was also realistic enough to give firefighters an idea of what a structure would be like to operate out of.”
    As part of the department’s monthly training session, Tuesday’s burn gave firefighters an opportunity to practice venting a home.
    “Venting is a very important aspect of when a structure is on fire,” Cone said. “If you can vent the structure at a high level, you can get out the smoke and gas buildup, which helps for extinguishment. It  also creates a better environment for firefighters go into.”
    Since July, the structure was used for search and rescue training; ladder training; second story rescues; chimney checks; salvage and overhaul; and dressing a hydrant.
    In its salvage and overhaul training, the department set up chutes to divert water out of the building.
    “If you have a fire in an upstairs level, the challenge is getting firefighters in the building while water is coming down on them,” Cone said. “Also, it allowed us to practice how we get that water out of the building so that it causes the least amount of damage to the building.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
SPRAYING IT DOWN — Houlton firefighter Dana LaPointe sprays water on the Military Street building used for last Tuesday’s training exercise as flame billow from the structure.
    Last month, the department conducted live burns inside the building, setting small fires throughout the building before sending teams in to douse the flames.
    Exposure control is another element of the training exercise last Tuesday. By allowing the building to burn, firefighters received first-hand experience on just how hot a large fire can be. It also allowed spectators to see just how quickly a home can be destroyed by fire.
    “Just setting the fire and allowing it to burn, I’m sure it surprised a lot people how fast it burned,” Cone said. “A fire tells you a lot of things if you are watching it and know what to look for.”
    It took just one hour from the time the fire was started for the building to be leveled.
     As an added bonus, the structure was located adjacent to the fire department, which meant fire engines were not tied up at a remote location for the training exercise.
    “It really was a win-win situation for us and the property owner,” Cone said. “This was a huge luxury for us in terms of training. We were able to do a lot of different aspects of training over the past few months. And then afterwards, we were able to get rid of the building without a huge cost to the owner or the department.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
SAY CHEESE — Firefighter Brian Beals snaps a picture prior to the building being lit.