Inside the old Parker Furniture building in downtown Columbus, Luke Strohl leaned against an upstairs wall as Columbus firefighters crawled toward him through the blinding smoke.
“There”s a victim! There”s a victim!” Strohl, a 19-year-old East Mississippi Community College sophomore, heard them shout.
Back outside, Strohl said he was one of the lucky ones — he had only been in a midnight training exercise early today, the first in about five years downtown.
“I knew they did all this stuff,” he said of Columbus Fire and Rescue, “but you don”t really know until you”ve seen it up close and personal.”
Strohl, 18-year-old Jeremy Wheat and 15-year-old Hunter Austin, a.k.a. “The victims,” were all “saved” from an upstairs room of the College Street building, which is undergoing renovations. Chase Austin, 14, played a victim that had made it out already and directed firefighters upstairs.
Upstairs was a cluttered maze for the 20 or so firefighters who responded to the smoke-seen call within about two minutes with four engines and a ladder truck.
Fire and Rescue trainers had a couple smoke machines going, added wires across hallways and put two trainers in a back room to make “Mayday” calls for assistance from firefighters.
The exercise was almost like a “welcome to battalion chief” for 24-year veteran Mark Ward. Sunday was his first day as shift leader for all five Columbus fire stations.
Ward said he was “proud of the guys,” who did well, especially in sticking together and communicating, despite the surprise exercise.
“I think people found some things they can work on,” including setting up more quickly, he said.
Wheat, who played a victim in a back room, said he plans to become a firefighter after finishing at EMCC.
Being “rescued” today, he added, only solidified that goal in his mind.
Fire and Rescue Chief Kenneth Moore said exercises like the one this morning are “vital” for firefighters.
“If you”re going to make any mistakes, here”s where you make them,” he said. “It”s lives (that are on the line).”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.