Montana City Holds Vehicle Fire Training and Responds to the Real Thing

In some fire departments, especially volunteer ones, the number of hours training, far exceed the number of hours spent responding to various incidents. In addition, some fire department train for a type of incident that may occur but never actually have that type of incident. That wasn’t the case for the Montana City Volunteer Fire Department (MCVFD) on May 17th. Members of the MCVFD held training on vehicle fires and ironically part way through the training responded to a tractor trailer fire on I-15. During the training, teams were tasked with responding to a live fire in a car using an engine and tender. Using the incident command system, an incident commander established command, the entry team of three firefighters wearing full turnouts and self contained breathing apparatus practiced safely extinguishing the fire, and the members on the tender set up a nurse line to supply the engine with additional water.

The team practiced using both new Engine 2 with the Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) and then Engine 1 to extinguish the car fires. As the various cars were lit, and thick black smoke rolled out of the interior, the teams responded. Several small explosions added to the excitement as air bags when off or windows broke due to the heat.

As the last car was lit and the team was getting ready to respond, Boulder Dispatch notified MCVFD that they had a report of a tractor trailer fire on I-15 just north of the Montana City Exit. Lyle Hill and Leata English were left to extinguish the practice car fire as Engine 2, Tender 1 and Engine 1 responded to the tractor trailer incident. Eagle Ambulance also responded to provide any needed medical aid. Enroute, the five members of Engine 2, discussed crew assignments, and possible tactics including the possibility of hazardous material in the truck. First in, Engine 2 checked for hazmat placards as they approached and pulled past the tractor trailer. No flames were visible, but the driver side rear dual wheels were smoking. Dee Alheim pulled the 1 3/4 pre-connect hose as the hose team donned their SCBAs. Lyn Stimpson operated Engine2’s pump and Asst Chief Ken Kluth and Chief Rick Abraham set up command. Larry Alheim, Don Chriske, and Allan Cox made the initial attack with the hose line. Captain Tom Blokzyl in Tender 1 prepared to nurse Engine 2 and Captain Pete Brustkern in Engine 1 with the Montana Highway Patrol set up traffic control to block the lane the crews were working in. Dee Alheim then switched to traffic control near the hose team as they sprayed the wheels. Steam and smoke rose rapidly from the area of the wheels as well as from the underside of the trailer. Cooling the wheel was difficult due the limited access between the dual wheels. Chief Abraham met with the driver to check the trucks shipping papers and open the trailer to ensure none of the contents had started on fire due to the heat on the bottom of the trailer. As the initial hose crews SCBAs ran out of air, the relief crew of Lyn Stimpson, Pierre Amicucci and Asst Chief Kluth took over. Due to the quick response, only the tires and wheel were involved and the tractor trailer did not appear to sustain any other damage.

The vehicle fire training just before the tractor trailer really helped the MCVFD crews work rapidly as a team carrying out all the various functions necessary from traffic control to extinguishment. Many tractor trailers and their contents are completely destroyed from something as simple as a tire fire if not stopped in time. While fire departments train for incidents that may never occur, you never know when that training will be needed, which makes those hours of training very worthwhile.