Update: Saturday’s smoke was from a training exercise
The smoke seen drifting over Hudson south of I-94 on Saturday was from a house purposely set on fire by the Hudson Fire Department.By: Randy Hanson, Hudson Star-Observer
- Hudson volunteer firefighters Craig Smith, Mike Spencer, Mark Thorsen, Chris Matson and Mark VandeSande
- Firefighters working at Saturday’s training exercise
The smoke seen drifting over Hudson south of I-94 last Saturday was from a house purposely set on fire by the Hudson Fire Department.
Fire Chief Jim Frye said the daylong training exercise allowed the department to practice a number of firefighting techniques and to observe fire behavior.
The 3,000-square-foot, two-story farmhouse at 429 Stageline Road was the former residence of Einar and Rita Horne. The property is now owned by Hudson Hospital & Clinics.
Frye said the training began at 7 a.m. with a briefing and lesson plan overview at the Public Safety Building, 222 Walnut St.
Firefighters set the house on fire five times, and then put out the flames, as they practiced their skills. The training lasted until 3:30 p.m. and included searching for people in a smoke-filled structure.
Frye said the fire department’s Explorers, high-school age youths learning about firefighting, were also able to participate in the exercise.
“They’re few and far between,” Frye said of the opportunity to practice firefighting when there isn’t an emergency. “You have to take advantage of that type of training when it becomes available.”
The barn on the former Horne property was burned in a training exercise a couple of weeks before Saturday’s training.
Monday night, the fire department returned to the property for additional training that involved burning a shed and gazebo.
Tags: local news, fires, hudson
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