• Area firemen battle simulated blazes with the use of state fire simulator
Area firefighters battles several blazes in Brooklyn on Sunday, Aug. 15.
The fires weren’t an accident and they weren’t the act of an arsonists.
The fires were part of a training exercise using a fire simulator through the Fire Service Training Bureau, Division of State Fire Marshal and the Department of Public Safety.
Josh Humphrey with the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department said members of the department decided to bring the fire simulator to town to help give fire fighters hands on training.
Fire fighters from Brooklyn, Grinnell, Malcom and Marengo participated in the simulation.
The simulator is a trailor with different rooms to simulate fires in a house or other structure, said Humphrey.
Fire fighters had to climb up stairs and ladders, crawl through rooms all while pulling equipment and fire hoses.
According to lead instructor Mitch Nordmeyer, there are five burners that instructors control. The burners are LP gas fed.
An instructor is inside with the training fire fighters at all times. The instructor carries a control button that can shut off the fire at any time.
Theatrical smoke is used to recreate an actual fire.
“We use theatrical smoke in case someone panics and takes off their air mask,” said Nordmeyer. “This way no one can be hurt by the smoke.”
The burners can reach up to 1,000 degrees. A typical house fire can reach temperatures of up to 1,200 to 1,600 degrees.
Because heat rises, fire fighters had to crawl on their knees while in the simulator, just like in an actual fire.
“Even though it’s cooler the closer you are to the ground, the temperature can still reach up to 200 to 250 (degrees) on the floor,” said Nordmeyer.
While the heat may be more than oppressive, Nordmeyer said the simulator is 100 percent save for fire fighters.
“There are so many safety features on the simulator, I can’t even count them all,” he said. “This is the safest training out there for fire fighters because it is so controlled.”
Nordmeyer said a licensed instructor is with the trainees at all times in the simulator. The instructors are always in contact with the person controlling the flames in another compartment of the simulator. If there is a problem, a safety button can be hit. When hit, everything is shut down and an exhaust fan turns on to pull out the heat, gas and smoke.
According to Nordmeyer, the cost to make the simulator is half a million dollars, so there is only one such device in the state.
Because there is only one simulator in the state, fire departments across Iowa have it booked every weekend.
“Literally, every weekend from March 15 to Nov. 15, it is booked somewhere in Iowa to be used,” said Nordmeyer.
Humphrey said it had been about two or three years since the simulator last visited the area, so the fire departments got in line to rent it.
“We got funding from the Volunteer Firemen’s Association for the simulator to come,” he said. “This is a great way to practice in the event of a real fire.”
You must log in to post a comment.