Training to fight fire in Howard County
I can’t speak for all photographers, but taking photos of a raging fire has a firm position on my “photos I’d love to take” bucket list.
The caveat being that no one gets hurt.
Recently, I had the opportunity to photograph and shoot video of the Howard County Fire Department’s controlled demolition burn in Ellicott City, Md. Trainees worked with instructors to control and observe how fires travel through a home. It was interesting to see how the trainees worked together and kept their cool through an extremely hot situation. I’m not quite sure how they manage to move so quickly in their heavy clothes and heavier gear (and here I thought my tripod was heavy!).
Photographing the trainees and burning homes was a memorable experience and while they were practicing their skills, I was too… Just in case I ever do get that bucket list photo.
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- A house goes up in flames during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department’s controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, Md. on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- A house goes up in flames while Howard County Fire Department trainees work together during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department instructors observe while trainees work to put out a controlled fire on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainee during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees watch to see how a fire makes its way through a house during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Trucks stay close during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- A house goes up in flames while Howard County Fire Department trainees work together during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- A house goes up in flames while Howard County Fire Department trainees work together during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- A house goes up in flames while Howard County Fire Department trainees work together during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees watch to see how a fire makes its way through a house during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Richards observes trainees during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees watch to see how a fire makes its way through a house during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees work with instructors during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. The trainees learned how a fire makes its way through a house. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees work to put out a fire during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees work with an instructor during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees work with instructors during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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- Howard County Fire Department trainees work with instructors during a controlled burn on Weavers Court in Ellicott City, MD on April 9, 2013. (Jen Rynda/Patuxent Publishing)
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Rappeling off of Route 70 from The Darkroom on Vimeo.
Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services also held a training exercise for high-angle rope rescues off of Interstate 70. A participant in the rappelling wore a GoPro camera to give a first-person view of the drop. Video by Jen Rynda.
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