'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
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.