'We cannot stop learning': Firefighters practice in Fredericton high-rise
A University of New Brunswick residence building that's been decommissioned has become a classroom for firefighters.
More than 50 firefighters from across the Maritimes are honing their high-rise fire halting tactics at the Fredericton location.
"The intent is improving our capacity to fight structural fires in mid- to high-rise buildings,” said Dave McKinley, Fredericton Deputy Fire Chief. “With the building construction of more and more of these units, it's important that our firefighters have the skills necessary.”
The experience in a real building versus a training facility adds an element of authenticity to the exercises.
"This is really probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Alex Hillier, who started with the Fredericton Fire Department in September. “We train often in our training facility, but to have an actual structure that we can come in and experience real life problems and troubleshoot those is a great opportunity and we're so thankful for it.”
"Now we can simulate real conditions inside of buildings they're going to be fighting fires in,” said Brent Brooks, a firefighting instructor from Toronto. “Traditionally we'd be at a training academy, it's very familiar to us, and we're kind of making things up.
“But, now we're in a real high-rise building, real doors, real windows, real floor layouts, running the same drills that we do at a training academy you cannot duplicate this kind of training.”
"Almost every building is different, sometimes you'll get the cookie cutters where all in a line they were built the same time, but every building's a little different,” McKinley said.
Brooks says firefighting is an ever-evolving industry and it's important for them to keep up with training to stay safe.
“When I started the job we didn't have hazmat, we didn't have auto extrication, we didn't have rope rescue, and tunnel rescue, the list goes on, and cars are changing, e-bikes, we have electric vehicles,” he said. “We cannot stop learning as firefighters."
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.