captstanm1
11-21-2003, 07:04 PM
Old school provides training
By Michel Northsea
The Dunnellon Fire Department had the opportunity to brush up on skills Sunday at the old middle school property.
Joining Dunnellon in the training sessions were eight volunteers from the Williston Fire Department and teenagers from Dunnellon's Young Explorer program.
Training started early Sunday morning when a smoke machine was used to fill a portion of the old school with smoke and firefighters when inside to practice searching for "victims" in a smoke-filled room, said Dunnellon Fire Chief Joe Campfield.
In another exercise, small fires were set inside the building to give firefighters lessons on pulling water hoses through burning buildings.
Several months ago fire department volunteers used a block home offered by the First Baptist Church for similar practice sessions.
Following the practice session, firefighters started fires in the rest of the building to help burn as much of it as possible, but they found the fire slow moving.
Campfield said damage to the roof had allowed water in the building that made it harder for the fire to get started, so firefighters broke some windows to get oxygen to the fire.
Lt. Floyd Bedford said that before the building could be burned it had to be inspected by the state fire marshal before any permits could be issued.
"We knew there was no problem with asbestos or any possible hazards before we used the property for training," he said.
Many residents in Chatmire stood outside their homes and called friends and family on portable phones to spread the news of what was happening.
Chatmire resident Vanessa Watts said that she upset that no one in the small community knew the old school was going to be burned until they saw activity at the school the morning of the practice.
"Everybody was talking about this at church this morning - there goes more of our heritage," she said pointing to the school grounds.
Watts had attended the school in the elementary grades during desegregation before the school was switched to present Dunnellon Middle School site.
Esther Booker, 91, remembers telling her two children when the old Hard Rock School burned, and so on Sunday it was only natural for her to call her daughter who lives in New York.
"She did the same thing she did last time her school was burning - she screamed," said Booker, of her daughter's reaction.
According to historians in the community, the old middle school was built in 1950 and was named Booker T. Washington High School. The school had been built to replace "Hardrock," the first school for the black community that burned down in 1948 or 1949.
City officials are planning to sell the property to finance city facilities at another site.
At Monday's night council meeting, Mayor John Taylor thanked the fire department for their efforts.
"I'm sure you've saved the city quite a bit of money," he added.
City officials had hoped to get grant money to fix up the school to house a police and fire department, but the grants fell through and the city had voted not to accept another grant because of the conditions of the grant requiring too much money from the city.
By Michel Northsea
The Dunnellon Fire Department had the opportunity to brush up on skills Sunday at the old middle school property.
Joining Dunnellon in the training sessions were eight volunteers from the Williston Fire Department and teenagers from Dunnellon's Young Explorer program.
Training started early Sunday morning when a smoke machine was used to fill a portion of the old school with smoke and firefighters when inside to practice searching for "victims" in a smoke-filled room, said Dunnellon Fire Chief Joe Campfield.
In another exercise, small fires were set inside the building to give firefighters lessons on pulling water hoses through burning buildings.
Several months ago fire department volunteers used a block home offered by the First Baptist Church for similar practice sessions.
Following the practice session, firefighters started fires in the rest of the building to help burn as much of it as possible, but they found the fire slow moving.
Campfield said damage to the roof had allowed water in the building that made it harder for the fire to get started, so firefighters broke some windows to get oxygen to the fire.
Lt. Floyd Bedford said that before the building could be burned it had to be inspected by the state fire marshal before any permits could be issued.
"We knew there was no problem with asbestos or any possible hazards before we used the property for training," he said.
Many residents in Chatmire stood outside their homes and called friends and family on portable phones to spread the news of what was happening.
Chatmire resident Vanessa Watts said that she upset that no one in the small community knew the old school was going to be burned until they saw activity at the school the morning of the practice.
"Everybody was talking about this at church this morning - there goes more of our heritage," she said pointing to the school grounds.
Watts had attended the school in the elementary grades during desegregation before the school was switched to present Dunnellon Middle School site.
Esther Booker, 91, remembers telling her two children when the old Hard Rock School burned, and so on Sunday it was only natural for her to call her daughter who lives in New York.
"She did the same thing she did last time her school was burning - she screamed," said Booker, of her daughter's reaction.
According to historians in the community, the old middle school was built in 1950 and was named Booker T. Washington High School. The school had been built to replace "Hardrock," the first school for the black community that burned down in 1948 or 1949.
City officials are planning to sell the property to finance city facilities at another site.
At Monday's night council meeting, Mayor John Taylor thanked the fire department for their efforts.
"I'm sure you've saved the city quite a bit of money," he added.
City officials had hoped to get grant money to fix up the school to house a police and fire department, but the grants fell through and the city had voted not to accept another grant because of the conditions of the grant requiring too much money from the city.