By Clay LePard
clepard@cbs4qc.com
Firefighters from all over the QCA put their skills to the test Sunday by practicing different kinds of trailer fires.
Firefighters CBS4 spoke with say that mobile homes are some of the toughest kinds of building fires to handle.
"It's a lot different than our typical stick type construction or ordinary construction that typical houses are made of," says Gary Ronzheimer, Assistant Director of Fire Science for Eastern Iowa Community College.
"They can go up pretty quick," Chief David Coon, Donahue Fire Department, adds. "You don't have a lot of time from when it starts until it's fully involved."
Crews from eight different volunteer fire departments took part in this unique type of training.
Crews watched and learned as they saw one home burn to the ground; while going inside another and learning how to contain the flames.
It's a strenuous mission that firefighters say definitely pays off.
"This is one of the opportunities we've never had here," Ronzheimer says. "We've never done mobile home training out here."
"By the time we get to the station, get in our trucks, and get there - most of the time there's nothing to salvage and we're just trying to save everything around it," says Rusty Holzworth, Walcott Fire Department.
And they say this hands on training makes a huge difference.
"You can't really place a value on it," Holzworth adds. "We have to teach our younger guys what to do."
Eastern Iowa Community College will continue holding these kind of training sessions for volunteer firefighters. You can find out how to enroll by clicking here.
