BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Before a new recruit or transfer officially joins the Bangor Fire Department, they must complete 5 weeks of training.

Part of it involves using the Bangor Fire Training Center’s burn room to simulate an active fire situation.

Deputy Fire Chief Chandler Corriveau explains the protocol: “We start a fire in our burn facility. We do fire attacks, so they come in and attack the fire directly. We have another team that comes in, they do a search evolution, so they search Division One, Division Two and look for a victim, then eliminate that victim, just like we would in a real fire.

With the aim of making the training as realistic as possible to a real-world scenario, Asst. Chief Corriveau says there are limits.

This includes restrictions on the materials they can burn, such as household furniture, and outdated burning facilities.

Built in 1987, there is only one room in which a fire can be lit at a time, and outdoor conditions make this practice impossible in winter.

In circumventing these obstacles, Bangor Fire says it is imperative to place recruits in controlled live fire to respond to situations beyond their control.

“We wouldn’t be able to do what we can do today without it,” said Asst. Chief Corriveau describes the training center. “We need a training center that meets the needs of today’s fire service and fire service. It’s what keeps us in the best shape possible, keeps us up to that standard, so we can perform at a high level when the real call comes.

In the next election, Bangor residents will be asked to vote to grant the Bangor Fire Department, along with local police and emergency medical services, a $2.5 million bond to upgrade the training center.

Asst. Chief Corriveau says that, if approved, this money will allow the facilities, including the burn room, to be upgraded to modern standards.

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