All last week the Seattle Fire Department held training exercises for new recruits in a vacant Ballard home located at 2019 NW 64th Street.

After April 28, saws blasted, fires flared, hoses spewed and eager recruits practiced the skills that will one day save the lives of Seattle citizens.

Deputy Chief Phillip Jose said that the live fire training is an essential opportunity for the recruits to experience real fire scenarios in a controlled setting. He explained that some of these young recruits will more than likely face a real fire within the first 18 hours of being on the job.

“It gives the recruits a chance to practice fighting fire in a simulated but pretty close to real environment,” said Phillips. “The first time they see it (fire) they will be under the direct supervision of someone with experience, but you want to make sure the first time they see it — the first time they experience it — it isn’t a time when somebody’s life is directly in the balance.”

By Friday May 1, after SFD finished their training, the house was riddled with square holes in the roof where recruits practiced entry techniques with chainsaws. Windows were blasted through and charred spirals of black soot could be seen where flames moved up the exterior of the home. Despite the Department’s destructive exercises, they left the property boarded, “button up” and tidy.

During training periods, SFD monitors city demolition permits for potential sites to conduct training. The department asks contractors if they can use the soon to be demolished home for training purposes. All carpet, plastics and toxic synthetic materials are removed before the exercises begin. Also, for older homes, asbestos abatement is completed. Training officers set controlled fires and exercises were conducted under the regulations and rules of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

“This is an acquired structure, so we can make it just a little bit more real, and it’s more like the environment they would see working during their first shifts with the fire department in the operations section.”

Each day SFD did at least four live burn simulations, except for Friday, they only did two. The public was invited to watch the recruits work through training and a few spectators were visible on Friday.

Each recruit completed 16 weeks of training in recruit school and will soon complete a one-year probation period working in the operations section of SFD, riding along in the trucks during emergency calls. They will graduate from the program on May 29, but before then they will be trained in hazardous materials, truck driving, technical rescue and EMT.

“They learn the whole slough of everything they need to know from the very first day of not knowing anything about the fire department to being able to work under the direct supervision of company officers.”

Jose said that SFD is doing a lot of hiring right now and that they plan to open application process at seattlefirejobs.com in the next couple of months to fill 60 slots over the next year. Jose said that the department is producing 50 employees a year and that there are approximately 40 employees retiring a year. Also, Jose reported SFD has a deficit of 70 to 80 employees and that it will take some time to catch up. All Seattle Firefighters are members Local 27 Union.

“The people that are getting into the fire department right now are just really impressive. They are smart. They are dedicated. The future of the Seattle Fire department, if this is any indication, is very bright.”