PHOTOS: On a drizzly Thursday morning at the Export Grain Terminal at the Port of Longview, local firefighters scrambled up the 100-foot ladder on a brand-new truck, practiced lowering injured victims to safety and simulated hidden brush fires.
The annual training day was a chance for Longview and Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue firefighters to train for a potential disaster at the grain terminal — and to become more familiar with Longview’s new $1.1 million ladder truck.
“All incidents have unique hazards,” Longview Battalion Chief Troy Buzalsky said. “Grain creates a lot of dust, which is incredibly explosive. All it takes is a spark and you can have an event every bit as catastrophic as a flammable liquid explosion. So, we need to stay up on our training. It’s rare, but that’s why we prepare.”