Recruits from several fire agencies recently got some real-life experience by training at the arson-damaged Community Friends Church, 5950 N. La Cañada Drive.
The church suffered severe damage from an arson fire on April 30. The recruits - from the Northwest Fire District Academy - recently completed ventilation training using props at the Northwest Training Center. Then, thanks to the generosity of the Community Friends Church, they got to hone their skills practicing on a real building.
Northwest Fire Capt. Adam Goldberg said recruits rarely get to practice on a commercial-size building. Since the roof of this church has to be replaced anyway, this was a good opportunity for them to do more vertical ventilation and search-and-rescue operations for fire victims or lost firefighters.
The recruits - also from Golder Ranch and Casa Grande - conducted ladder operations, hose-line deployment and other operations, while working with breathing apparatus in the heat.
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Goldberg said the recruits will graduate July 9. They'll serve a one-year probationary period before becoming full firefighters.
