EAST LANSING, Mich. — The East Lansing Fire Department (ELFD), along with firefighters from surrounding communities, has been participating in annual training this week at 340 and 344 Evergreen Avenue. The vacant properties are scheduled to be demolished later this summer.
The training ran from 8-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 10 through Friday, May 12. Every year East Lansing firefighters and neighboring departments, including the Lansing Fire Department and fire departments from Delhi, Delta and Meridian Townships, get together to brush up on their skills. The focus of this month’s training was on structural collapse.
This year’s training began with familiarization of equipment and techniques, followed by exercises developed in relation to two collapse rescue scenarios: one involving a wall collapse inside a house and the other a vehicle through an exterior wall. The ELFD simulated a car going through a wall of the detached garage at the property for the training. Other techniques in this year’s training included breeching a structure, shoring (stabilizing the building to make it safe for responders) and searching for a person needing to be rescued in a collapsed room.
“The safer, more controlled environment used in these training exercises is invaluable,” said East Lansing Fire Capt. Nathan Floyd. “We are grateful to have had these properties available for honing these lifesaving techniques.”