By George Wiebe
The Wisconsin State Journal
MADISON, Wis. — An abandoned home on the former Voit Farm was burned to the ground Wednesday afternoon as part of series of controlled blazes set by the Madison Fire Department for training.
Two homes along Milwaukee Street, at the site of the former farm on Madison’s East Side, were donated to the fire department for practice by Integrity Grading and Excavating, a local construction company operating on the now-empty property.
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The two-story home at 3410 Milwaukee St. was the first to face the department’s torch, as several burns were set and put out throughout the house, culminating in a fire that engulfed the building.
It’s important for firefighters to learn how a fire develops, how it progresses and how to safely and efficiently attack it, Lt. Bradley Olson , with the fire department’s training division, said outside of the soon-to-be demolished home.
“We have a very young department,” Olson said. “So having opportunities like this where we can get our younger members and even some of our older members, that can also mentor the younger members ... it’s really a win-win opportunity.”
More than a dozen firefighters with the Madison , McFarland and Sun Prairie fire departments took part in the training, which included practice setting up fire engines and hoses, and using thermal gear to familiarize teams with fire behavior.
“It’s a controlled environment,” Olson said. “This gives us the opportunity to polish up our skills …. We have training props at our training center that we’re able to use, but buildings like this are absolutely phenomenal.”
The kitchen is the most common place for fires to start, as cooking oils and greases ignite quickly and require increased attention, he said.
Before getting to work, setup crews found several “artifacts” left behind by the previous owners, including old photos, a fire inspection notice and a fire insurance policy from when the home was still part of the town of Cottage Grove.
The second house, a single-story property at 3510 Milwaukee St., will be used for similar training and meet the same fate as its neighbor on Thursday.
Another controlled fire and training exercise is planned for Thursday.
When was the last time you or your FD participated in live-fire training? What was the focus?
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