Hermosa Firefighters Help Put Out Practice Fires in Redondo Beach

Firefighters from across the South Bay -- including Hermosa Beach -- journeyed to the corner of Catalina Avenue and Avenue A in South Redondo Beach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a rare opportunity: a training exercise with real fire.

The bungalows used in the exercise are scheduled to be demolished Monday, according to Division Chief Rob Rappaport of the Redondo Beach Fire Department. RBFD received permission Thursday to conduct the drills and set up the exercises within 24 hours.

"It's kind of a unique opportunity," Rappaport said, explaining that usually there's not enough time between when the demolition permit is granted and when the structure is demolished to organize a live-fire drill.

Before the structures were lit, carpeting, at least one mattress and all hazardous materials were removed from the buildings. Organizers stuffed wooden pallets with newspapers and set them ablaze.

They also scattered straw around the structure to add more smoke.

On Sunday afternoon, firefighters also added a mock rescue operation to the live fires. The rapid intervention crews, or RICs, are teams of four firefighters whose sole job is to rescue firefighters injured in a blaze.

Curious passersby watched as crews knocked down one of the fires mid-afternoon Sunday. According to Rappaport, most of the neighbors on Catalina Avenue and Avenue A were notified of the exercise.

Additionally, the Redondo Beach Police Department sent out a Nixle message Saturday, alerting residents to the location of the training exercises and directing questions to the fire department.

The Redondo Beach, Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo fire departments participated in the drills.