St. Charles Fire Department hosts training exercise with nearby departments

The St. Charles Fire Department recently hosted a multi-department training exercise in conjunction with the Illinois Fire Service Institute Cornerstone Training Program.

St. Charles firefighters were joined by members of the Geneva, Batavia and Elburn fire departments for the training, which took place at the former PNC Bank building, 2600 E. Main St. in St. Charles. The building is set to be razed to make way for an Andy’s Frozen Custard store and a Physicians Immediate Care center.

The training was designed to test the skills and interoperability of the local fire departments to respond jointly to a fire call, according to a news release from the city of St. Charles. The St. Charles Fire Department and fire departments from surrounding communities often work together to assist with local fire service calls.

Scenarios in simulated fire conditions required a response with fire trucks, fire engines and command staff and included victim search and rescue, hose lead outs, ventilation and fire extinguishment.

“It was a rare opportunity to have such a large building to utilize for fire training,” St. Charles Fire Department Battalion Chief of Training Jeremy Mauthe said in the release. “It had great potential for a wide variety of scenarios including lost/trapped firefighters, extensive search and rescue options and fires in areas requiring a long stretch of hose lines for fire extinguishment. We appreciate Eric Dams from Troutman/Dams Commercial Real Estate for working with us and allowing us to use the building for training prior to their scheduled demolition. We also thank IFSI for developing a solid three days of training for us. Multiple IFSI instructors from various fire departments offered their insights. That experience was an excellent addition to the training.”

The Illinois Fire Service Institute Cornerstone Training Program supports fundamental and essential skills training for fire departments across the state. The training is supported through the Office of the State Fire Marshall and is delivered at no cost to local fire departments.