Live Burn Training, Holland Road

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On Sunday June 13th, the Apex Fire Department hosted a live burn on Holland Road. Approximately 25 Apex members participated along with a few guests from Fairview and Wake Forest Fire Departments. With temperatures soaring into the mid-90's with high humidity, everyone went on the fluid loss diet plan - but despite the challenging conditions, we got several evolutions out of the old house and most crews got to fight some decent fire before we let it burn to the ground shortly before noon.

Engines 3 and 4 supplied water to three 1 3/4" handlines (attack, backup and safety), and three 2 1/2" lines for exposure protection. With the homeowner's residence being just 30 - 40 feet behind the structure that we burned, we set up two opposing blitz nozzles for a water curtain to ensure we wouldn't have but one structure fire today.

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View of the D-side		This house did not look very big from the outside, but there were actually many rooms on the inside
By 8am you could already see the humidity in the air! We had Engine 4 set up on one side of the driveway...	...and Engine 3 on the other	The homeowners are living in this trailer which was just 30 - 40 feet behind the structure we were burning
Storage buildings on the D-side of the structure	A-D corner	View of the D-side, looking from the back of the house
Back of the house near the B-C corner	Progress Energy disconnected the power to the homeowner's main residence prior to us starting the burn	A-B corner
	Well in the front yard
Our supply of fuel		Trying to take advantage of some shade while we had it
	Battalion Chief Beasley	Ashley Boyer, Ryan Arnett, Jimmy McClure, Scott Pearson, Bob Pascucci
Fairview firefighters	Devin Polk, Matt Hoina	Mike Beasley, Scott Pearson, Chris Dawson, Scooter Carter
Main hallway	Each room had a burn box which instructors could fill with hay and fuel
		Instructors Chris Dawson, Scooter Carter, Mike Beasley
Instructors Wayne Burton, Scooter Carter	Before instructors struck the first match, the ladder crew was asked to make a big vent hole in the roof
Jimmy McClure, Scott Pearson, Ryan Arnett, Ian Bass, Charlie Grubbs	Scooter and Wayne	Mike Beasley, Rebecca Fisher, Fairview firefighter, Chris Dawson, Steve Crisson
	Apex EMS Paramedic Travis stood by with an ambulance for rehab and medical support
Lead instructor Chris Dawson gives a walkthrough	The kitchen	Darn, we could have had breakfast before the burn!
	Shortly before noon, the last fire was lit and the house was allowed to burn to the ground
	Protecting exposures
		Engine 3 pump operator Charlie Grubbs
Engine 4 pump operator Ryan Arnett	Umm.... I'm not sure.	Crews used the powerful stream from the blitz nozzles to knock down the chimneys

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