East Jefferson Fire Rescue firefighters participated in a live structure fire training burn at a Gibbs Lake cabin on May 28. 

Sixteen career firefighters and ten support volunteers participated in the training, which was managed and conducted in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association guidelines to ensure the safety of participants and the surrounding community. No injuries were reported during the training. 

“These types of training opportunities are rare,” wrote EJFR Community Risk Manager Robert Wittenberg. “While we do hold live fire training on an annual basis at our fixed training facility on Jacob Miller Road, those environments cannot match the conditions found in an existing wooden structure fire. These training events give our crews an opportunity to further enhance their skills and experience with differing fire conditions under a uniquely controlled environment.”

In a rural district, firefighters face different risks and challenges that aren’t typically faced in urban settings, he continued. 

“We may be challenged by restricted access and limited resources during the initial stages of a fire,” he wrote. “The training we were able to complete at Gibbs Lake allows us to better face those challenges in future events.”

The building — a former caretaker’s cabin located on the east side of the lake — was built in 1949. In use until last year, Jefferson County Parks sought to demolish the structure and clear the area to provide public access to the lake. Its partnership with EJFR for the demolition allowed for “significant cost savings.” 

Before the burn, excess furniture and fixtures were removed from the building, utilities were disconnected and the building was cleared of all hazardous materials. Metal roofing was removed to expose the wood below. Windows were boarded up, and an exit was marked in case of an emergency. Burn areas were established and filled with wooden palettes that were ignited one at a time. 

“Over the course of two hours, crews performed multiple evolutions of firefighter entry and extinguishment of localized fires with handheld attack lines,” according to EJFR. “These actions are integral in the training for an offensive fire attack where firefighters enter the interior to fight the fire. Each evolution from ignition to extinguishment took only a few minutes, with time to reset between evolutions.” 

From ignition, each fire took only a few minutes to extinguish. 

Finally, more palettes were added and the fire was allowed to grow and fully involve the structure. 

“Crews performed a defensive strategy with hose lines around the exterior of the building, protecting nearby trees from ignition due to the intense heat,” according to EJFR.  

EJFR welcomes donations of old vehicles, building materials and structures for live fire training. Working with government agencies, like Jefferson County Parks, is often more efficient, Wittenberg wrote. 

“In terms of donations of buildings, the regulations can be significant for an individual homeowner for proper permitting and hazard abatement prior to the training event,” he wrote.  “We have found the government organizations like Jefferson County Parks are better able to navigate the process for live fire training. We can’t express how appreciative we are to Jefferson County Parks for this partnership.”

Donation instructions can be found on the EJFR website.