South King Fire and Rescue conducted a training exercise on the campus of Landmark on the Sound near Des Moines on Friday April 25th. An older, abandoned free-standing home in the southwestern corner of the 27 acre property was slated to be demolished, making room for the future expansion of new apartment homes, parking areas and additional green space. Landmark President and CEO Jane Ipsen contacted South King County Fire and Rescue and went through the process to submit the buildings (home and garage) for the purposes of training. Before buildings can be used for training, all petroleum products are removed, including carpets, padding, roofing, tub surrounds and linoleum to be in compliance with Puget Sound Pollution control standards.

Landmark on the Sound also took the opportunity to hold a celebratory outdoor weenie roast...but well away from the fire.

The expansion plans for Landmark on the Sound are extensive according to Mary McGoran, Director of Sales and include the construction of additional apartment homes, woodland homes, and more parking areas. During the training exercise extra fuel was brought in, in the form of wood palettes to provide material to train with, instead of simply setting the home on fire before the house was let to burn. The training exercise involved a series of crews, who took turns with various fire fighting exercises. The department also works with area school districts and trains students and Explorer Scouts who are considering careers as fire fighters. Ventilation holes were cut to prevent the phenomena called "flashover" in which flammable gases build up and create temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Crews kept nearby trees wetted down to prevent any unintentional burning and eventually let the structure burn completely in preparation for removal before new construction begins. That construction is expected to begin later this year. Landmark on the Sound is sponsored by the Washington Freemasons.