Training Day

The demolition of this project presents a unique opportunity. Spillane, who also works as a firefighter, offered to let the department train recruits in how to open up walls and ceilings

The early stages of demolition involve tearing out the drywall and removing the old insulation. The end goal is to reach a point where only the bare bones of the house remain. This structure will then be re-insulated, re-wired, and eventually have new drywall as well.

To accomplish this, Spillane usually has his team go to work through the whole house with crowbars and sledgehammers. However, this stage of the remodel also presents a unique opportunity. Spillane also works as a firefighter and understands the rarity of house demolition training opportunities for firefighters. Because of this, he contacted the local fire chief and offered to let the department train recruits in how to open up walls and ceilings.

The Batavia fire department brought in a team of recruits and trainers and immediately began tearing into the walls and ceiling with large metal crowbars. In this environment, their biggest challenge was their breathing apparatus and sore muscles, but during a real fire they would also be fighting intense smoke, flames, disorientation, and temperatures of up to several hundred degrees. It is for this reason that training situations such as this are so valuable. After all, the walls and ceilings were going to be torn out anyway. 

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