Metro West Firefighters Battle Real Blazes in Training

Firefighters with the and  spent the last two weeks battling blazes as part of their periodic, live fire training.

Edward Beirne, assistant chief of special operations and training for Metro West Fire Protection District, said the recent live training was part of their efforts to routinely sharpen their skills and processes for fire control.

"We've (Metro West) led the way with preferred operating practices, and like to train with neighboring districts so that we can standardize our handling of equipment at fire scenes," he said.

Beirne also said hands-on training teaches and reminds firefighters how to handle fire suppression in the most efficient ways.

"It's all about no extra time wasted for ventilation and rescue," he said, when it comes to applying training results to real fires.

Jeff Sadtler, deputy chief with West Country EMS and Fire Protection District, said the key to a live fire-training session is the actual scenarios that firefighters encounter, such as apartment fires and fire victim rescues.

"The biggest thing about a real fire is that they're all different, and you don't know what you're going into, " Sadtler said. "This training is unscripted."

He said that as firefighters go through the training, they do not know what type of scenario they are dealing with until the fire starts. Once the fire scenarios are established, the firefighters' arrival on the scene is staggered as it would be on an actual fire call. They then assess the scene and develop a plan of attack as they do on regular calls.

Firefighters go through this live fire training for four to five days each quarter. This week and last week, fire crews from both departments trained at Metro West's training tower off New Ballwin Road in Castlewood.