KILMARNOCK—In observance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Cobbs Hall Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) presented an award to the Kilmarnock Volunteer Fire Department (KVFD) in recognition of its members’ service and commitment to protecting the community.
The presentation took place during a training exercise involving a simulated residential fire in the Ditchley area. Although the training site encompassed nearly 35 acres, high winds made it unsafe to conduct the planned practice burn. Instead, firefighters simulated smoke-filled conditions as they practiced navigating the residence and rescuing training “victims.”
The exercise offered chapter members a look at the extraordinary physical demands and risks faced by volunteer firefighters. Wearing approximately 80 pounds of protective equipment, firefighters crawled through smoke-filled rooms to locate and retrieve practice victim mannequins. The demanding work left the firefighters exhausted and underscored the courage, strength and dedication required to serve as first responders……
