The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department, under the direction of Fire Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, has recently embarked upon a unique and enterprising training opportunity at the Parkway Terrace Apartments in Suitland, Maryland. More than a dozen apartment buildings were scheduled for demolition, while at the same time dozens of other buildings are to be renovated.

Courtesy P.G. County Fire Department Inside • Week Eight Wrap-Up • Week Seven Wrap-Up • Week Six Wrap-Up • Week Five Wrap-Up • Week Four Wrap-Up • Week Three Wrap-Up • Week Two Wrap-Up • Week One Wrap-Up • Map of Complex • Media Advisory • An Ultimate Training Experience Multimedia Slide Shows: • Week Eight Slide Show • Week Seven Slide Show • Week Six Slide Show • Week Five Slide Show • Week Four Slide Show • Week Three Slide Show • Week Two Slide Show • Week One Slide Show • Preparing The Complex Slide Show • Live Training Slide Show • Dangers Of Christmas Trees Slide Show Movies: Download QuickTime to view these clips. • Movie 1 Firefighters enter the room and knock the fire down in this exterior view of a fire involving the second floor living room. • Movie 2 As the first engine arrives and prepares to attack the fire, a first floor living room fire extends into the apartment stairwell. • Movie 3 After the line is charged, firefighters move in on a third floor living room fire in this interior view. Vermillion Ave. Training 1998 • Vermillion Avenue Live Training 1998 • Vermillion Avenue Photos • Vermillion Avenue Video Related Links • 'Get Out Alive' • Ohio High Rise Training • Prince Georges County Fire Department • Prince Georges County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association • Demolition of apartment complex • Stanwood firefighters to burn houses for practice

Based on positive experiences concerning previous large-scale training exercises in Prince George's County and working with community leaders, County officials and property managers, the Fire/EMS Department seized the opportunity to utilize the buildings scheduled for demolition for training purposes. This endeavor will be known as the Parkway Terrace Project.

Chief Siarnicki has announced that the live Fire/EMS training evolutions are scheduled to officially begin on Friday, January 5, and will run six days a week, day and evening, weather permitting, for about two months until early March. Battalion Chief Doug Osterhouse has been assigned as the project coordinator. An office has been established on location at 3517 Parkway Terrace Drive.

Various building preparations have been ongoing since October 2000. Numerous career and volunteer personnel from the Department have contributed their time and efforts in these preparations.

In conjunction with this project, two Garden Apartment Tactics classes were held in early December, with over 140 personnel from the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department and other local Departments in attendance. Also, in mid December, two instructor orientation classes were held at the project office to brief those volunteer and career personnel who desired to assist as instructors during the project. Each evolution will require eight to ten instructors to ensure that adequate safety measures and a proper learning environment, including a thorough critique of each evolution, are included. Organizers expect to conduct in the area of three hundred "live" burns involving local, state and federal organizations and agencies.

This project will be operated similar to the very successful summertime Vermillion Avenue high-rise "live" fire and rescue training project, in Oxon Hill that was conducted two years ago. Many units and companies from Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department as well as other local and regional Departments will again have an opportunity to participate in a very different training program.

Chief Siarnicki notes that he is "very excited about the opportunity we have during the next several months at Parkway Terrace. We will be able to provide state of the art training in a realistic setting. Additionally, we will be able to work with our neighbors in surrounding jurisdictions, and test and evaluate new products and techniques."

Stay tuned to Firehouse.com and the Training Zone for regular updates, including photographs to see first hand how this unique training exercise evolves. For further information about the Parkway Terrace Project, please contact the project office at (301) 967-4357.