Assistant Chief Trent Zerkle of the Christiansburg Volunteer Fire Company, right, works with a junior firefighter to learn the intricacies of dumping water from a 2,000 gallon tanker into a dump tank, during a training exercise in Brown Township on April 14, 2024. The exercise involved Casstown, Fletcher, Christiansburg, Elizabeth Township, Troy, and Rosewood fire departments and was aimed at working to simulate transporting water from a distance to a fire scene.
Mike Ullery | For Miami Valley Today
By Mike Ullery
For Miami Valley Today
FLETCHER — Residents of Brown and Lost Creek Townships saw a lot of fire department activity on Sunday, April 14.
Multiple agencies held a training day and apparatus from agencies in both Miami and Champaign Counties took part in the exercise.
The event was organized by Casstown and Fletcher Volunteer Fire Departments. Additional agencies participating included Christiansburg, Elizabeth Township, Troy, and Rosewood.
“We are going to simulate getting water to a rural barn fire,” said Assistant Chief Brian McKellar, of Christiansburg Fire Company. “Out in the rural areas we have no fire hydrants so we must keep at steady stream of tankers going in order to keep up with the engine that is pouring water on the fire.”
Although the pond being used as a water source and the “fire” scene were only a hundred yards apart, planners required each tanker to drive around a country block, a distance of about four miles each way to more accurately simulate a real fire call.
Emphasis was put on setting up pumps, running lines and, of course, safety.
A second goal of the day’s training was to allow new firefighters and junior firefighters the opportunity to learn from veteran firefighters.
An estimated 30 to 35 firefighters participated in Sunday’s event … giving up a large part of a Sunday with family in order to train for the eventuality that none of us cares to think about.
