Homeland Security provides training trailer for southern Indiana firefighters

SEYMOUR, Ind. (WDRB) -- They risk their lives every day, but sometimes training can only do so much for firefighters to get the full experience.

Tuesday, 15 firefighters from the Redding Township Fire Department and Hamilton Township in Seymour, Indiana, took part in a training exercise thanks to Indiana's Department of Homeland Security — inside a steel trailer.

“It doesn’t matter how many house fires you been in, it’s a different fire every time you start,” training leader Steve Mowdy said. “Usually that is the only time we get training is during the emergency situations and we want to make sure we can do it in the most safe way possible.”

The trailer was delivered to a property near the Redding Fire Station where firefighters could train in a controlled environment. The gas is ignited through tanks inside and will send flames to any part of the trailer firefighters can crawl through.

The trailer is the first place new firefighters will get hands-on experience. Burning old homes for training requires several legal hurdles — this is quicker, and free. The trailer is paid for by the state of Indiana.

The walls inside the trailer are removable and can be changed, making it more challenging for those inside.

“We got some guys that had just started in the last year or two that we are now getting the process of getting them through the training where they can actually enter and help us out in the situations,” said Mowdy.

With the turn of a knob, Mowdy can control how much fire is in the trailer and where. The ceiling can even be lit to simulate a “flashover,” raising the temperature of the trailer up to 1,000 degrees.

After a quick safety check, the firefighters entered the trailer, crawling on their hands and knees to find the source of the fire and the nearest exit.

Once outside, the firefighters have a chance to check their surroundings and take a breather — the heat was so intense, it melted some of their helmets.