Valuable Training for Firefighters at the Cherry Hill Mall

Early in the morning on Sunday, February 26, 2012, CHFD firefighters began assembling outside the parking garage of the Cherry Hill Mall.

To any passerby this may have looked like your typical activated fire alarm or even building fire. However, one thing was missing -- the emergency.  This same scene has repeated itself every Sunday for the past two months.


This is part of an ongoing training evolution the CHFD is conducting to better prepare its personnel for fighting fires in large commercial buildings.  Lt. Charles Meighan of Squrt 51, B Platoon had originally spoke with mall management to secure the building for a small training evolution with the two engine companies, Engine 22 and Squrt 51.  The first training was so productive that Capt. Chris Callan of the Training Division and Lt. Meighan decided to discuss future training at the mall for the entire CHFD.

Firefighters prepping the hose for the long stretch ahe

Mall management was more than happy to oblige us with the use of the building before it opened for business each Sunday.  So formal training plans were developed and implemented. The result was every Sunday for the past two months and for several more Sundays to come, the firefighters and fire officers of the CHFD will participate in several training drills in the Cherry Hill Mall.

Firefighters stretching hose into the back hallway

This is a great opportunity for the firefighters to fine tune some skills as commercial building fires pose some of the greatest challenges for firefighters.  Every building is slightly different, but some key challenges are the overall size of the building, the distance firefighters may have to travel to reach the fire, heavy fire loads of combustible materials, maze like conditions, and the overall operations are man power intensive.
 

Firefighters have reached their objective and are ready to
start the fire fight

The CHFD would like to thank the Cherry Hill Mall management, staff and security for their continued cooperation.  For several years now the Cherry Hill Mall has played  a vital role in the training of the Cherry Hill firefighters.