Firefighters Train On How To Handle Wind-Driven Blazes In Structures
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - High and sporadic winds, especially those seen from the foothills to the plains in the past couple of years, can always cause a wildland fire to blow up and race out of control.
High and gusting winds can also create a dangerous and potentially deadly dynamic for firefighters trying to put out a house fire. South Metro Fire Rescue has been training not only its firefighters, but others from various departments on how to handle a house fire when it's hit with gusty winds.
The situation can be deadly if the wind finds its way into the home, funneling through the floor plan at a high rate of speed and bringing fire along. It can act like a blow torch and literally scorch any firefighter that is in the way.
Over the past decade several firefighters from around the nation have died after getting caught in such situations. South Metro Fire's training is to help ensure that no one in Colorado will fall victim.
"If you can imagine a funnel where the wind is coming in and its funneling the fire back to an exhaust opening or an exit point; so we want to make sure our firefighters aren't caught in between the fire itself and that exhaust opening. South Metro Fire Training Chief Mike West said. "We're trying to make them a little bit safer when they are dealing with that."
Two Arvada firefighters were severely burned over a year ago in a house fire when gusting winds billowed into the home, bringing fire along. Luckily those two recovered from their injuries and are back on the job.
South Metro Fire is holding nine days of training.
