Verde Valley Fire District Fire Chief Nazih M. Hazime knows the value of keeping his firefighters lean and aware.
“Complacency is what gets firefighters injured,” he said, adding that there is no substitute for experiencing a live fire.
Thankfully, now and then an opportunity presents itself without endangering community members or destroying valuable property.
On Thursday, Feb. 25, the VVFD conducted a live burn exercise on a condemned home donated by local businessman Tom Griffith.
Conducted by VVFD Training Capt. Dustin Chambliss, the live burn allowed four different crews to develop their firefighting tactics and strategies, as well as see how well the district’s water resources handled the blaze.
“This type of training has to be managed with every safety consideration in place,” Hazime said. “This live burn training brings optimum simulation of a real residential fire.
“[It allows] crews to practice their scene management while demonstrating their fire suppression abilities, which builds competency.”
The fire chief called Griffith “a big supporter of the fire district,” whose efforts and donations have furthered the district’s goals.
“He kept us competent in our skills by donating this house,” Hazime said. “Allowing firefighters to hone their skill levels is critical. It keeps us from becoming complacent.”
