PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. – Fighting fires at sea is always a potential reality for South Florida first responders, which is why firefighters routinely practice response efforts aboard ships in simulated trainings.
Fort Lauderdale and Broward Sherriff’s Fire Rescue participated in a joint training Friday morning in Port Everglades.
“One of the most dangerous things at sea is a fire,” Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollian said. “The reason for that is there is no place to go.”
The exercise started with a controlled fire aboard a ship. Once the signal was given, fire rescue crews sprang into action, boarding the vessel searching for dummies that represented victims.
Once all “lives” were accounted for, the crews started to work to get the ship safe and guide it shore addressing several logistical obstacles faced at sea.
“Your resources are normally a long ways away and it takes them a long time to get there,” Gollian said. “Any water that is put on the boat will possibly have to be taken off the boat, otherwise the boat will sink.”
Gillian stressed that the priorities, like all fire safety situations, is human life first and property second.
Officials from the Resolve Maritime Academy and Coast Guard also participated in the training.