NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa firefighters are getting real-world training by setting an old house on fire, giving them hands-on experience fighting structure fires in controlled conditions.
The Nampa Fire Protection District is using a donated home for live-fire training exercises, allowing firefighters from all six stations to practice different emergency scenarios. The house, which was previously used by Nampa Police for SWAT training, will eventually be burned to the ground over the coming weeks.
WATCH: Nampa Neighborhood Reporter Keith Burrell goes inside structure fire practice
"This is the nicest house we've ever burned in," said David O'Connor, battalion chief with the Nampa Fire Protection District.
While furniture and other fixtures are removed for safety reasons, the training provides firefighters with realistic conditions they would face during actual emergency calls. The exercises include basement fires, search and rescue operations, roof ventilation, and full emergency response protocols.
"Best training is real training. Yes, we're not utilizing a smoke machine, we're utilizing pallets," O'Connor said.
The training comes as local fire service programs see high demand. The College of Western Idaho's fire service technology program receives up to 70 applicants, but can currently accommodate only 20 students per session.
"We are evaluating, and our goal is to start a second academy in the spring and to have it year-round. We would like to do two programs a year," said Darrin Raskopf, fire service technology director at CWI.
The college program prepares students for various roles beyond frontline firefighting, including administrative positions and fire marshal duties.
"CWI has not just structural firefighters, they have wildland firefighting, and within each one of those you can select if you want to specialize in fire prevention or inspection," said Kirk Carpenter, president of the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association.
Recent CWI graduate and Nampa Fire intern Jessica Gillmore observed the training exercises, noting technical details like bilateral smoke flow patterns.
"As you guys went in, I was noting that the smoke was coming out the top. On the bottom, it was sucking the smoke in. That's a bilateral flow from the bottom. So things like that just really enthused me. I love fire science," Gillmore said.
The live-fire training will continue over the coming weeks until the structure is completely burned down.
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