Bainbridge Public Safety Officers participated in a Live Fire Training on Thursday morning at a property on Martin Street. The structure was donated by the property owner for training use. BPS Officers participating in the training were Fire Chief Doyle Welch, Deputy Director Frank Green, Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Deen, Investigator Chip Nix, Firefighter Tyler Dalton, Investigator Mark Esquivel, Engineer Michael Jenkins, Officer George McMillan, and Cadet Michael Bush.
Why we perform Live Fire Training:
Firefighters must be able to think critically and clearly, and solve problems under extreme stress. This can be especially difficult in an actual fire, so training instructors conduct live fire training drills. They purposely set buildings on fire to give firefighters opportunities to develop these skills. The overall goal of training is to instill good habits through repeated exposure. Live fire training is conducted in burn buildings, which are structures, built or acquired, to be intentionally burned for firefighter training. Live fire training is also a great way to clear condemned properties and improve blighted areas.
Bainbridge Public Safety is asking property owners who own structures that are vacant, dilapidated, abandoned, or one they may be considering to be demolished, to allow local firefighters to use the structure for fire suppression training. These structures will be used for the following training exercises:
• Breaching walls for entry/egress
• Cutting holes in roofs for ventilation
• Knocking out windows for fire suppression/ventilation tactics
• Live Fire Training (used for fire suppression activities)
• Arson investigation training techniques
In the event that a property owner has a structure as described above, or that is scheduled for demolition, but would like to allow the Bainbridge Public Safety Department to use it for Active/Dynamic Fire Training, the fire department would be immensely appreciative.
The best structures for firefighter training are the ones that are not good for the owners. These include structures such as vacant houses where playing children could be injured, firefighters responding to future emergencies could be injured, and abandoned houses or structures that represent an eyesore for the community and neighborhood.
Buildings that are most sought after are VACANT/ABANDONED:
• Single family residences
• Multi-family residences
• One or two-story apartment buildings
• It should be noted that ALL vacant structures will be considered
The following is a list of some of the criteria required for the property:
• Proof of Ownership (deed)
• Cut-off letter to all the utilities from the City of Bainbridge (i.e., Electrical, Cable, Phone, Gas, Water)
• Copy of Asbestos Report on the structure to be used for Live Fire Training
• Copy of Demolition Permit from the City of Bainbridge Building Department
The benefits for the owners:
• Removal of the structure; up to 95% of the house can be consumed at the end of the training, leaving only plumbing, nails and tin or metals to be cleaned up.
• The end result is a substantial savings to the property owner, as opposed to actual demolition costs and landfill fees.
The benefit to the community is the removal of unsafe, unsightly structures.
The benefits to the fire officers receiving the training are innumerable, but to list a few:
• The ability to train in an active controlled fire environment on an actual structure.
• The training could very likely result in saving a firefighter’s life someday.
Note: The property owner shall be responsible for all permits and reports along with cleanup of debris after the Live Fire Training is complete.
Anyone wishing to help Bainbridge Public Safety with the use of their structure should contact Fire Chief Doyle Welch at (229)248-2038 EXT. 313, or email him at [email protected]
Bainbridge Public Safety thanks you for your consideration of the use of your property for fire training purposes. This use will benefit everyone in our community and help to ensure the City of Bainbridge maintains “feeling safe at anytime, anywhere” for its citizens and visitors.
Property owners should understand that the City of Bainbridge cannot and will not provide tax advice. The City of Bainbridge will provide written acknowledgement for the use of the property for training purposes; however, the City will not sign any tax forms with respect to the property.
