New Hanover County Fire Rescue hosts live fire training

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County Fire Rescue conducted a live fire training on Wednesday to help firefighters hone their skills. 

The nearly full day of training was held at a home on Carolina Beach Rd. The home was donated to the county for firefighters to brush up on their skills and give new firefighters a chance to operate in a realistic situation.  

The controlled fire was gradually allowed to progress until the fire engulfed the home.  

Caress Clegg is a spokeswoman for New Hanover County communications outreach. She said no other training can simulate a real-fire emergency. 

“As with any job, it’s very important that you get hands-on training. So, this is giving our firefighters that on the job training that they need in the event that any of our citizens ever need to reach out, call 911,” she said. 

New Hanover County Fire Rescue tries to do this type of training annually, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a short pause.  

This is the first live fire training the county has held in two years.