St. Marys Fire Department using vacant home for training

The St. Marys Fire Department has a new way to take part in some practical, real-world training, thanks to the generosity of Perth South resident Ken Smale.   

Smale’s former family home is currently vacant and set to be demolished later this month. The fire department has been using the empty space to conduct a range of exercises designed to augment the training firefighters receive at fire colleges or through on-the-job experiences.

The vacant home provides a realistic environment where firefighters can safely practice command and control, strategic prioritizing, search and rescue, hose deployment and management, ladder deployment, forcible entry, and ventilation.

The house has also provided an ideal space for the department to run through its self-rescue techniques. Self-rescues are required when firefighters get trapped or entangled during an emergency.

During a recent training session, firefighters set up stations around the house to practice self-rescue maneuvers, including a head-first ladder bailout from a second story window and a window hang. They also practiced emergency exit procedures from narrow or small spaces using full personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus. They also conducted training on firefighter carries and drags.

“This is a really incredible opportunity for our firefighters,” said Fire Chief Richard “Andy” Anderson. “Having access to this vacant house means our firefighters can receive training they never would have been able to have otherwise.”

For more information about the training sessions, please contact Chief Anderson at 519-274-3939 or randerson@town.stmarys.on.ca.

- 30 -

For media inquiries:
Brett O’Reilly, Corporate Communications Manager
519-284-2340, ext. 432 | boreilly@town.stmarys.on.ca