Getting Up Close With Fire Behavior

The Madison Fire Department, in partnership with Madison College, performed a training burn at 1902 Bartillon Drive this week. The occasion marks the end of an era for the property, formerly Callahan’s Sports Pub. The site is slated to be redeveloped as a mixed-use property that includes 86 apartments.

Using acquired structures for live burns, like the one at 1902 Bartillon Drive, provides firefighters unique opportunities to practice hands-on skills in realistic, controlled learning environments. The focus of this training burn was to give firefighting crews the opportunity to observe fire behavior, practice hose advancement evolutions, and hone communication skills. These trainings also allow our firefighters the opportunity to be put in low-visibility, high-heat conditions that reflect the exact conditions they will encounter when fighting fires within the City of Madison.

Because fires typically get a head start on crews in the real world, this was a particularly important opportunity for firefighters to observe fire behavior up close from start to finish. Our firefighters are able to witness how fire affects structural components in building construction. While doing so, we are also able to control the conditions and provide additional safety protocols for our personnel to gain vital knowledge.

Altogether, eleven crews from across the city had the opportunity to perform these evolutions. Instructors oversaw fifteen evolutions during the six-hour operation.

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