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Station 1 of the Clark County Fire Department (CCFD), located at 200 Barnes Drive, was quite active on the morning of Saturday, Aug.17. 

Many in the public were happy to be witnesses. 

Utilizing its newest facility for the first time, the CCFD held a burn demonstration, performing a staff-wide life-saving drill that showed the expectations and risks undertaken by firefighters on a regular basis. 

“I just want [the public] to get a taste or feel for what the fire department actually does…what they have to go through during a structure fire,” said Clark County Fire Department Chief Steve Asbury. 

Specifically, staff undertook what’s called a VEIS – or Vent-Enter-Isolate-Search – drill. 

With this drill, firefighters simulate entering a facility and rescuing a victim, followed immediately by putting out a fire. 

Battalion Chief Kelly Smith explained. 

“You’ll hear dispatch…they’ll get a notification that [there’s] a trap victim inside the structure fire. They’ll come up…breach [a back] window and hopefully – if the conditions are right, we’ll get a little fire,” he said. “They’ll come out [the back] window…find a victim [and] remove it from the building.” 

To breach the window, firefighters used tools, while entering by diving indoors and then working collectively to carry out the victim – simulated at 185-200 pounds. 

Yet that wasn’t all. 

From a separate point of entry, after the victim had been extracted, firefighters would use props to open a door – followed immediately by bringing in a line of water to extinguish smoke and flames. 

During the drill, temperatures at the floor level reached 200 degrees, while registering a high of 550 degrees from above. 

To be secured against numerous potential fire hazards, firefighters were fitted with numerous gear – including nomex hoods which protect the portion of the head not immediately covered by the helmet and face mask. 

As mentioned, the burn demonstration was made possible by its new facility. 

Chief Asbury explained that about $50,000 had been used thus far. 

He also added that he hopes additional funding, estimated at approximately $40,000, could be used to further improve the facility. 

“We don’t have any steps in our drill tower yet, so we [have] got to put steps and safety railing around the top so we can use the tops,” Asbury added, expressing gratitude for the work thus far. “Right now, we’re just able to use the lower floor.”

During the drill, Magistrate Mark Miller – dressed in full gear – entered the building as well to gain first-hand knowledge of what members of CCFD do. 

“After doing that, it gave me a different perspective [for] when I’m voting for things,” Miller said, noting equipment, raises, and staff needs as certain examples. “When you’re in there, it’s like being in murky water scuba diving. You can’t see anything. It’s all by feel, and in a real fire there’s furniture and things that you bump into and have to maneuver around [while] looking for victims.”

Additional magistrates such as Chris Davis and Steve Craycraft were present as witnesses, as was state senator Greg Elkins. 

Highlighting professionalism, Asbury added that – while the burn demonstration was the first utilizing its new facility – expectations remained the same. 

“[My] expectation is that they’re going to do their job,” he said. “This is normal for us.”