Monrovia Fire Department Benefits From Homeland Security Grants

– Photo by Terry Miller

By Susan Motander

Over the last few years the Monrovia Fire Department has acquired several new tools with monies from State Homeland grants. In 2011 funds were allotted for a “Smart Classroom” that allows personnel to receive advanced training without leaving the city. In 2013, funds were granted for the replacement of the old three-story training tower with a new four-story tower in cooperation with the city of Arcadia (Monrovia’s share coming again from the grant). Lastly the department has also acquired new Urban Search and Rescue equipment from the same source.

The tower was created using prefabricated shipping containers. The containers were modified to simulate various firefighting situations. There are two burn rooms: a kitchen and a bedroom. These rooms allow personnel to fight fires in “real time” situations in safety. The fire is fueled by propane and has emergency shut off controls in the event of an emergency.

Another container has been turned into a “maze” where firefighters crawl in blackout conditions, forcing them to practice moving through areas with limited space and requiring them to manage the self-contained breathing apparatus normally carried on their backs.

– Photo by Terry Miller

In addition there is a room in which personnel can practice rescuing people in a smoke-filled room. The catch is that the walls in that room are moveable, allowing those who set up the room to reconfigure it so that firefighters must use their sense of touch to find the “person” to be rescued without knowing the obstacles in the room. There is even a space which simulates a collapsed wall -and the degree of collapse can be changed from practice session to practice session.

The structure has two stairways: one interior, one exterior. On each floor there are even “stand pipes” such as those in commercial structures like hotels, which allow fire personnel to practice firefighting techniques using these hookups. The exterior staircase has a faux window built into the structure to allow firefighters to practice placing ladders into upper story windows.

The windows and doors on the lower level are designed to allow personnel to practice breaking into barred windows and doors; even garage doors or commercial building roll-down security doors. All this without permanently damaging the structure.

Crawl space. – Photo by Terry Miller

In the same way, there are two different roof configurations allowing firefighters to practice ventilating both residential and commercial roofs. Plywood is placed over easily replaceable “ceiling joists” so that if an error is made in “hacking” through the roof, that entire portion need not be replaced.
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Even the ground floor has multiple uses. One room stores the Urban Search and Rescue Equipment for the city, and another holds the recharging equipment for those self-contained breathing units.

In addition to being designed for ease in replacing damaged portions, there was an effort in keeping the whole structure “green.” It is built out of repurposed shipping containers. There is a “drafting bin” which recycles the water used in fighting the simulated fires. Even the bin is recycled … it started life as a large trash receptacle. It can now hold over 700 gallons of water. That water returns to the bin rather than going down the drain … not bad in this drought.

– Photo by Terry Miller

And the tower is only a small portion of the entire training facility. There is also a single story structure which allows personnel to simulate rescues from manholes, ditches, and basements without going underground.

In a separate trailer, firefighters can practice extricating themselves from dangerous situations under stress conditions. Here they can become entangled in wires or hung upside down; every sort of worst-case scenario forcing them to think out solutions before they occur in real life.

And to top all this off, there is the smart classroom. This facility, also housed at Station 102 on South Myrtle Avenue, allows Monrovia fire personnel to “attend” classes without leaving the city. They are still available in the event of an emergency, but can take part in classes that are being held at other locations. The smart part of the class is that via internet hook-ups, the personnel can interact with an instructor who may be at another location. And the instructor can see the students as well as they can see the instructor. In addition to “live instruction,” the classroom is also equipped to replace taped classes. There are 16 such classrooms throughout Los Angeles County.

– Photo by Terry Miller

All this came with the impressive price tag of over $1.2 million. But it was paid for with Grant funds rather than from Monrovia’s general fund. The training tower has already been used by both Monrovia and Arcadia personnel. In addition, the Sierra Madre Fire Department had held practice there and the Pasadena Fire Department is in the process of setting up a session. Its use is not limited to fire personnel. The Foothill Special Enforcement Team (a SWAT-like team consisting of personnel for several local police departments) has also used the facility.

Special thanks go to Monrovia Fire Fighters Frank Spencer, Daniel Coutis, and Hennessy Cabiles who kindly guided this writer and photographer Terry Miller through the training facilities explaining the various room and the different scenarios possible at the facility.

One last note, as the trio explained, the tower is high enough to allow the department to “hang” its hoses to dry. There are even “hooks” on which to drape the hoses. And from the roof, there is a great view of the entire valley. The height of the tower also allows personnel to practice repelling from structure or cliffs. It is no surprise that these firefighters are proud of this facility.

– Photo by Terry Miller

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