Fire and Water: Fire districts train at future site of North City Water District maintenance facility

What if a firefighter falls through a
weakened floor during a fire?

Photos courtesy Shoreline Fire

The North City water district, which provides water to east Shoreline and west Lake Forest Park, is in the permitting process to construct a new maintenance facility at property they purchased at 15555 15th Ave NE in Shoreline.

They purchased the property from the Northwest Church, which moved to Lynnwood.

The church buildings are sitting vacant on the site. They will be demolished once the permits have been approved and contracts awarded.

"We offered the buildings to local fire departments for training," District Manager Diane Pottinger explained. 

"We thought they would appreciate having real buildings to use."

You get a fire hose down to the
trapped firefighter.

Shoreline Fire is already taking them up on the offer.

"We're always training," said spokesperson Michelle Pidduck. 

"The preparation our training division puts in is very time consuming, but the learning experience is rewarding, knowing it could save a life of those risking their own."

Then you hoist him/her up, using the hose

An example of some training that a complex building offers is an exercise Shoreline Fire recently did with neighboring departments (Bothell, Northshore and Woodinville) at the North City Water District site on 15th Ave NE.

They simulated a firefighter falling through a weakened floor.

They worked together with a quick hoisting method on the hose. 

"We expect there will be a lot of regional training at the site between now and demolition day," said Pottinger. 

"South Snohomish County, Northshore, Bothell, Woodinville and Seattle Fire Departments are likely going to be doing training on the site."