Keep the home fires burning Published March 17, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Wesley Wright Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Minot Air Force Base Fire Department is setting a house on fire. Huh? For many people, hearing the local fire department is setting fire to a house would tend to raise an eyebrow or two. Don't worry though -- it's only a gutted shell of an unoccupied house, being safely burned for training purposes. The plan is to burn the four-plex unit on Tangley Drive here over a period of two weeks, from March 17th through the 31st. The housing units on Tangley Drive are scheduled for demolition and the fire department seized the opportunity to provide its firefighters with the most realistic training possible. "We want our firefighters to experience what it's like to fight a fire in a real house," said Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Kline, assistant chief of operations at the base fire department. "It's one thing to practice in a training facility, but it's quite another to practice in a real house with the realism of a hazardous environment." According to the base deputy fire marshall, Chief Master Sgt. Robert Ward, the fire department's main concern is safety. "We follow established National Fire Prevention Association guidelines specifically for this type of burn," Chief Ward said. "We have developed our own set of checklists, etc. It will be very safe." Sergeant Kline emphasized that the burn is going to be strictly controlled. "There are going to be three fire engines, numerous personnel; all the hazardous materials have been removed - there is absolutely no danger to the base populace." According to Senior Airman Charles Lewis, assistant fire department training manager, the fire department's training plan calls for firefighters to practice water application techniques and nozzle operations. They will ensure the safety of the firefighters using the "Two-in, two-out" policy. In firefighting, the policy of two-in, two-out mandates that firefighters never go into a dangerous situation in a fire or rescue incident alone. There should always be two firefighters together when they enter a location and one of them cannot come out of the situation or building unless both do. "We're going to fire-load the house to simulate the house catching fire," Sergeant Kline explained. "Basically, we will stack wooden pallets in a room and light them." The firefighters will be in position and ready to combat the controlled blaze as soon as it starts, using as Chief Ward put it, "the proper and safe methods to extinguish a fire with as little water as possible." According to NFPA, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries; and the base fire department urges base housing residents to use safe cooking habits. In 2005, U.S. fire departments responded to 146,400 home structure fires that involved cooking equipment. These fires caused 480 civilian fire deaths, 4,690 civilian fire injuries and $876 million in direct property damage. The cost of replacing a structure similar to the one being demolished on Tangley Drive if it were to be destroyed by fire is more than $400,000. "This training could potentially save the lives and property of people at Minot Air Force Base," Chief Ward said. "It may be a bit of an inconvenience for housing residents to smell a little smoke over the next two weeks, but in the end, it's for the good of everyone on this installation." For fire prevention techniques, fire escape plan advice and additional information, call 723-2461.