PIERRE, S.D. – If the weather cooperates, the Pierre Volunteer Fire Department will intentionally burn a home to the ground this week.
The Pierre Volunteer Fire Department will utilize an abandoned home located at 2301 East Hwy 14 in northeast Pierre for training this Thursday evening. Firefighters plan on setting a fire within the structure to provide live fire experience for volunteer members.
“We have been using this structure for the last few months for training purposes,” said Fire Chief Ian Paul. “This time we are going to put fire to the entire structure and bring it to the ground.”
The use of the abandoned home was donated by Mark and Glennis Zarecky. The exercise is expected to begin around 6:00 p.m. and wrap up about 10:00 p.m.
Firefighters are expected to gain experience in fire behavior and other opportunities from the prescribed burn.
Pierre’s Volunteer Fire Department has 65 members. In 2015, the group completed more than 5,000 hours of training and responded to more than 190 incidents.
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