PCB firefighters complete live-fire training
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Local firefighters walked straight into the flames Friday— not for an emergency, but for a 40-hour intensive training course.
The Panama City Beach Fire Department conducted its first full-scale test of its new burn building. Crews from PCB and Lynn Haven conducted controlled burns that mimic real structure fires, providing firefighters with live-fire experience that cannot be replicated in a classroom.
PCB Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Tim Smith said the exposure is essential to keeping both firefighters and the community safe.
“It’s required by the state to continue our education as firemen, but the more times we can acclimate ourselves to live fire, the safer we will be when the time is real and we are in someone’s house,” Smith said
Firefighters observed each stage of the fire from the first spark to the final flame.
The state-required training helps instructors sharpen their skills and ensures firefighters are prepared when an emergency strikes.
