BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — If you see a closed street, smoke and lots of emergency equipment in Delray Beach Friday, don’t be alarmed. It is likely a training exercise. The Delray Beach Fire Department says it’s taking over an abandoned house on Friday and will do with it what firefighters do… fight a fire.
Here is the official announcement:
The Delray Beach Fire Department will be conducting training Friday morning that will consist of a live burn inside a house slated for demolition.
The vacant house, which is at 408 S.E. 2nd St., is owned by an investment company that recently purchased the property for development and has given DBFR permission to use the structure for training. Coincidentally, the home was once owned by a retired DBFR firefighter who has since moved out of the area.
From about 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Southeast 2nd Street will be closed from South Federal Highway to Southeast 4th Avenue, and about a half block of Southeast 4th Avenue will be closed south of Southeast 2nd Avenue. People in the area will likely see a large number of emergency vehicles, smoke and will hear some noise from the training. Every safety precaution will be taken, and the fire will be contained to the structure.
Live fire training allows firefighters to practice search and rescue and a special technique called vent enter isolate search, or VEIS, which is used to make a rescue before a hose is in place to fight a fire. They will also practice extinguishment, ventilation, exposure protection and teamwork. It also allows DBFR’s specially-trained live fire training instructors an opportunity to teach, supervise and function in required roles to renew their qualifications. DBFR Division Chief Jim Bradford, who is in charge of the training, said controlled fire training exercises can still be dangerous for firefighters.
“This will be an opportunity to practice firefighting tactics under real fire conditions,” Bradford said. “Everything is real. It requires professionalism and courage to do this kind of training as there is a risk of injury, but it’s worth it to be ready for any eventuality and keep our community safe.”
