Firefighters from a number of area departments recently had a chance to get some more realistic training last month. Back in April, real estate agent Kimberly Sut donated a house in Porter County's Union Township for training purposes, giving dozens of firefighters a rare chance to conduct a controlled burn in an actual home.
Union Fire Chief Mark Werno says firefighters can train at the MAAC center in Valparaiso, but it isn't the same as a real house. "In a regular house, you don't know the layout. So we're putting these firefighters in an environment that they're not familiar with, so they physically don't know where they're going. They have to feel their way," Werno explains.
During the training, one group of firefighters could practice finding and putting out the fire, while another group could practice search and rescue.
This comes as the Union Volunteer Fire Department has seen an unprecedented number of structure fires, according to Werno, with 13 last year alone. "For us, it's volunteer. I mean, we get $3.50 for reimbursement for going on a call — so we're doing this because it's in our heart, and we want to do this and serve our community," he says.
A total of eight fire departments took part in the live fire training, which Werno says is important for making sure everyone's on the same page during an actual emergency. Real estate agent Kimberly Sut says she's honored to be able to donate the home, and she hopes the live training will help save a life.
