MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- As an emergency call comes over the radio, two fire engines from the Miramar Fire Department race to the scene and deploy their firefighters who sprint up the steep hill with more than 600 feet of hose to battle a simulated blazing inferno.

Firefighters from the Miramar Fire Department conducted a field exercise on the hills west of the flight line here March 2 as part of an annual week-long wildfire safety training course.

“It is critical that we prepare and perform here as we would in a real fire,” said Robert Sepulveda, a firefighter with the Miramar Fire Department.

The firefighters studied in a classroom and in the field and they practiced responding to different scenarios during the course.

“We practice different tactics and utilize new equipment to prevent injury and the loss of firefighters during these dangerous fires,” said Paul Tompkins, the assistant fire chief at the Miramar Fire Department.

The firefighters pre-planned escape routes, assessed the location of safety zones and practiced a progressive hose-laying exercise, which required them to attach a hose extension every 200 feet while running up a hill and spraying water on the simulated burning fire.

“These drills allow us to review our safety standards and enhance our readiness for situations that we may encounter,” said Tompkins. “It is the hands-on experience to what we learn in the classroom.”

The firefighters also reacted to being surrounded by fire during the exercise as they practiced using aluminum fire shelters, which can protect them from temperatures of up to 500 degrees.

Every crew practices tactical decision making through role-play. Everyone from the fire chief to the firefighters participated in the training.

This course ensures that the department will gain the experience needed to fight wild fires and preserve the lives and safety of their fire fighters.