Bay Area Fire Companies Collaborate on Safety Training in Burlingame

20 Fire Departments from Seven Cities Practiced High Rise Rescues

Since the new Mills-Peninsula Health Services Medical Center opened in May 2011, the old hospital has remained largely quiet while preparations for demolition have gotten underway.

On Friday, October 28, the old eight-story medical center, located on Trousdale Avenue beside the new Burlingame hospital, was anything but quiet and empty.  

The Central San Mateo County Training Division and San Mateo County South Zone Training, in cooperation with Mills-Peninsula Health Services, hosted more than 20 fire companies from seven cities, each with multiple engines and trucks.

Dozens of firefighters – from cadets to senior commanders – dressed in full safety gear and practiced rescue protocols in the unlit halls of the empty hospital. They worked in simulated water-based smoke, some using infrared goggles to detect “victims” in need of rescue and evacuation. There was rapid decision making and constant communication as the teams performed the drills with efficiency and spirit. 

Incident Commander Kevin McWhirter oversaw the 20 companies from fire departments from Menlo Park to South San Francisco. Carl Levon Kustin was deputy and Jake Pelk was the safety officer.

For more than a year, Mills-Peninsula Health Services has been planning with local fire departments to use the old hospital for this series of safety trainings prior to demolition of the old structure. 

“This was a rare and valuable training opportunity for Peninsula fire departments, which typically conduct training in one- to four-story buildings,” said McWhirter, Division Chief of Training for the Millbrae/San Bruno Fire Departments. “Because the old hospital is similar to a high rise that is comprised of several separate structures, it was a useful chance to simulate rescues and fire control for much taller structures.”

These exercises tested San Mateo County’s response plan and confirmed the importance of cooperation between first responders, facility staff and on-site contractors.

In all there were six full-day training sessions, each of which included:

• Implementation of the new San Mateo County High-Rise Policy
• Staging eight to 10 engines and other rescue equipment
• A full “wet” drill; pumping and directing water from ground level to top floors using existing standpipe systems.
• Search and rescue operations including breaking through locked doors in the dark and/or simulated, water-based smoke
• Evacuating “victims” from the building

There were also two days of search and rescue training with area K-9 units.

Earlier this year, more than 60 fire and police companies toured the new hospital six weeks prior to the May opening so they would be familiar with the building’s layout and evacuation routes. 

The old hospital is slated for a multi-staged demolition, then the land will be converted to a parking lot.