Some like it hot

“It’s kind of scary,” said Shane Hood of the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department. “When you start to feel the heat coming through the protective clothing, your mind begins telling you, ‘This isn’t right.’” The heat he was referring to was from a donated house on Walter Davis Road that the Department burned down in a training exercise on June 6th. “The owner needed it torn down for some new construction,” said Hood. The training, which utilized wooden pallets set on fire in different rooms, allowed volunteers to see the stages of fire development and experience different smoke conditions. Although firefighters were provided with plenty of drinking water and Gatorade to keep them hydrated, it was too hot to simulate victim rescues. This is due to the fact that firefighters could only remain inside for 15-20 min. According to Hood, “Your own body heat can’t escape the protective clothing. I just wish it had been in January instead of June,” he added. Firefighters must observe strict safety guidelines set by the National Fire Protection Agency. They include having safety teams ready with special fans, as well as pry bars to remove boards from windows, in order to clear smoke from the structure in case of an emergency. A house burn requires a minimum of 15 people and approximately one month of planning to coordinate. Volunteers must complete a 6-month program of classes, including fire behavior, to take part in the training. Before a house can be used for training, firefighters must remove windows panes and other hazardous articles. “You can’t have carpet and paneling in the house when you burn it,” says Hood. The paneling is too combustible and the carpet gives off toxic fumes.” The department is anticipating that the next house burn will take place in the fall.