Clearwater Fire & Rescue to Conduct Fire Training at Abandoned Apartment UnitsClearwater Fire & Rescue will be conducting live fire training from May 12th - through May 26th. The exercise will involve live fire training scenarios in multi-family dwelling apartments located at 1884 North Betty Lane, in Clearwater. The exercise will take place both during the day and in the evenings. If residents see smoke in the area, they should not be alarmed. This is a joint training exercise with Clearwater Fire & Rescue and other local departments. Live fire training is important because it gives firefighters an opportunity to practice their skill competency in a live fire situation instead of simulated conditions. This includes hose lines, search and rescue, ventilation, and incident command. Opportunities for live fire training in acquired structures are rare, since the property owner must give the department permission to use the structure (usually prior to demolition). The Homer Villas complex includes 16 single-story buildings, which will be leveled in June. Traffic on Betty Lane should not be impacted by this exercise. All the roads in the complex are closed to civilian traffic. There will be signs posted on Betty Lane announcing a "Training Exercise."
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