The Harry E. Diezel Fire Training Center has a number of survivability areas to train new recruits and provide continuing education for career firefighters to ensure they have the skills necessary to provide lifesaving service to our community.
This building consists of a three-story burn area and a four-story stair tower. the first and second floors of the burn building contain six rooms each. The third floor consists of a large one-room area.
The interior stairwell of the burn area has a standpipe hookup at each landing for companies to make hose connections. Each room has three thermal sensors that are connected to a central computer to monitor the interior heat conditions.
The exterior of the building has a number of outcroppings (decks) with railings, which allow for a variety of ways to gain entry or egress. The four-story stair tower consists of an open metal scissor type stairs with a hose connection at each landing.
A standpipe connection in front of the structure allows companies to provide water to the interior hook-ups. The tower can also serve as an area to train in some rope and confined space evolutions. Each landing from the first floor to the roof has a manhole cover that can be removed to simulate a confine space evolution.
The tower is rich in anchors, including gantry for training in rope practicals.
The Flashover Simulator is a training tool referred to as the "Can" and is designed to provide firefighters with a safe and secure system to recognize the signs of a flashover. The burning of Class "A" combustibles will take place in the burn chamber, located three feet off the ground.
Firefighters will be able to witness a fire grow from an incipient stage to flashover conditions. As the combustibles burn, the interior instructors will have the ability to control the conditions inside the simulator through the combined use of ventilation and "penciling of water."
It is through this management that firefighters are able to experience a safe observation of a flashover.
The Mayday Confidence course is used to conduct mayday firefighter training. The indoor prop provides a controlled area for the department to practice ladder bails, firefighter removal techniques, and a self-rescue maze.
Virginia Natural Gas and the Virginia Beach Fire Department began a public/private partnership in Spring 2002 to create a training facility which could be used by both entities. The site is designed with several natural gas props which are used to simulate gas emergencies and to teach students the correct methods of mitigating gas main breaks and other related incidents.
