HELENA — Helena is home to one of only three airport firefighting training facilities in the western United States, drawing crews from across the country and Canada to learn life-saving skills.
The Rocky Mountain Emergency Services Training Center in Helena has been training airport firefighters since 1996.
Firefighters from Pullman, Washington and Victoria, Canada recently came together at the facility to take advantage of its classroom instruction, fire trucks, and hands-on drills.
The center features a specialized aircraft fire trainer that lets firefighters experience what the inside of a burning plane may be like.
For exterior fire training, crews use a large spill trainer that burns about 100 gallons of propane every 30 seconds, simulating how a real aircraft fire may behave.
WATCH: FULL RUN OF A SIMULATED INTERIOR FIRE OF AN AIRCRAFT
Training Center Coordinator Mike Anderson said the facility stands out among its peers.
"This is one of the best engineered and built training facilities in the U.S.," Anderson said.
Crews spent the day training to extinguish engine, wheel brake, and large spill fires, as well as interior fires, which place firefighters in a tight space with near-zero visibility.
WATCH: Helena's airport firefighting training center draws crews from across North America
One participant from Victoria, Canada said the experience exceeded expectations.
"It's a beautiful facility. I learned lots just about different tactics and techniques for firefighting and going into the aft there was, they got lots of props that we can use, which is awesome," Kyle Matthews said.
Rylan McPhee of the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport said the training highlighted how much firefighters across borders have in common.
"There's a lot of similarities, and it shows that firefighting across the world, you know, even in the North American region, it's all similar and we all work together," McPhee said.
For Anderson, the work creates a lasting bond among participants from all backgrounds.
"So I was a fireman in the army and a medic. And it's just kind of transitioned over. It's fun working with firefighters. I enjoy the training, and I enjoy the people," Anderson said.
If you ever see a plume of smoke coming from Helena Regional Airport, it is likely from the training center. But Matthews said regular training ensures crews are ready if a real emergency does occur.
"At the end of the day, you could sit at the fire hall for years and never have a real incident. So I think it's important to do this every year. And just make sure your skills are kept up to know what you're doing when the real one does happen," Matthews said.
