Pendleton Fire School prepares So Cal crews for fire season

The Camp Pendleton Fire Department along with firefighting crews from approximately 50 local, state and federal fire departments have been conducting annual live wild land fire training here as a part of Fire School 2011.

Fire School is a live-fire training exercise designed to give firefighters hands on experience in responding to and attacking wild land fires.

“This is great training,” said Mike Godde, the foreman for LA County Crew 9-1. “All my guys like coming out here for this. There are not many places where you can get training like this.”

Camp Pendleton is unique in that multiple acres of land can be burned in a controlled yet realistic setting, giving the crews scenarios they could very well encounter throughout Southern California.

“Camp Pendleton is basically the classroom for this school,” said David Dietz, a fire inspector and public information officer for the Camp Pendleton Fire Department. “(Fire School) is probably better than any other live-fire training in California. We are able to have bigger fires and give crews real experience for a real scenario.”

In addition to full-time firefighters from stations in San Diego and Los Angeles, several men and women who do not fight fires year round had the opportunity to train at Fire School.

“This is a tremendous experience for my guys,” said Capt. Eddie Guidi, captain of the Cleveland National Forest crew. “I have several seasonal employees, and this training allows them to be in a controlled environment but still get real-world experience. It gets the cobwebs dusted off and gets everyone prepared for the upcoming fire season.”

Besides training various firefighters from the local area as well as seasonal crews, Camp Pendleton firefighters train during Fire School.

“We do have fires here on base,” Dietz said, “so this training is essential for (Camp Pendleton firefighters) as well. Although the majority of the fires on the base are contained to ranges, these types of wildfires can happen and we know our guys will be prepared.”