Diest (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Diest fire department trained in an old nursing home with high ceilings, smoke, and heat. They put out a kitchen fire, rescued 4 people, and impressed Chief Koen Bosman and Mayor Geert Cluckers.
The Diest Fire Department held a training exercise in an old nursing home. Officials mentioned that the building was a good place to practice because it was challenging. They said that the firefighters had to deal with high ceilings that made the smoke build up quickly. This made it hard to see and move around.
The fire started in the kitchen and spread upwards. The firefighters had to use their training, teamwork, and equipment to stay safe and stop the fire. They had to make sure the building was safe for search and rescue.
How did Diest firefighters rescue 4 in a training drill?
The officials explained that, following the extinguishment of the flames, the firemen moved on to evacuate persons trapped inside. They went through the corridors with thick smoke in pairs to ensure that no individual was left behind. They rescued 4 people from the building. Officials mentioned that this exercise showed how well firefighters can work in difficult situations.
According to Koen Bosman, the head of the fire department, the exercise was a success. He looked at how well the firefighters did their job and how hard they worked physically and mentally.
Koen Bosman said,
You can see they are all tired, which means it was a tough exercise, and that’s a good thing.
Mayor Geert Cluckers watched the firefighters during the exercise. He said the location was special to him because he lives nearby and his parents used to live there. The old nursing home will be torn down in mid-March 2025, and it will take several months to finish. He mentioned that after the demolition, the land will be a green space for a while.
