Recently, the Oskaloosa Fire Department held a training drill at the Clow House on 8th Ave.
The house, purchased on land intended for facility expansion, is scheduled for demolition, making it the perfect test subject for fire safety training.
Two local engine units practiced entry into the home, as well as search and rescue of an individual inside. They dragged water lines inside to put out a simulated fire and practiced a downed firefighter rescue from the basement of the home.
The use of the house allowed the department to practice real-life techniques, including charging the hoses with water and breaking out a window and frame to enter the building from the outside, something they cannot do in most training environments because of the permanent damage it causes to the building.
Clow Valve General Manager Mark Willett and Health & Safety Manager Brian Bigley connected with local emergency response and helped prioritized real-life training initiatives.
“For me, the value of hosting events with the local fire department is that we build trust with them and the crews,” said Bigley. “We know they are professionals, and they know we are resource experts who can help them with their response goals. The bridges we build in practice speed up the flow of information in a crisis.”
The house is intended to be used as a full-scale burn training building at some point in the near future and other fire departments have been invited to attend the drill. The location has also been offered to local police departments and Sheriff’s offices for drug dog search training, search and rescue, entry training and more.