by News Channel 8's Tricia Taskey
Posted March 11, 2007
5:10 PM
(Shelton-WTNH) Firefighters in Shelton battled a house fire on Sunday that was deliberately set.
"It gives them live training. If there are any mistakes to be made I want them to make them here, not during a real evolution," said Chief John Milo.
Shelton firefighters suited up for the drill and some of them experienced a house fire for the first time.
"It was very different for me to experience some of the heat," said firefighter Gina Addario.
Twenty-year old Addario has been a firefighter for 2-years, but this was her first time in a burning building.
"There was a lot of smoke, I got to experience the claustrophobic feeling firefighters get," said Addario.
They set a series of fires in a house on Platt Road. Each fire was a little different from each other, some were very smoky, others more involved, some very stubborn so that firefighters learn how to deal with all kinds of situations.
Chief Millo says the 100-year old home is the perfect training ground.
"It's a balloon type of house. It's dangerous because there's no fire stops and it goes up very quickly," said Chief Millo.
The training covered everything from putting out the flames to search and rescue.
The Shelton Fire Department is a volunteer department and Chief Millo said they are also looking for new firefighters.