Marked for demolition, Mount Prospect building is first helping to train firefighters
A soon-to-be-demolished office building in Mount Prospect is providing firefighters an ideal environment to train for multistory structure fires.
The vacant building at 1600 Bishop Court in the Kensington Business Center soon will be razed to make way for a 97,000-square-foot spec warehouse.
Mount Prospect-based Wingspan Development Group, which is redeveloping the property, allowed the building first to be used for fire training.
Mount Prospect Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Cassidy called it a unique opportunity.
“We teach and train on standpipe operations for high-rise fires,” Cassidy said.
A standpipe is a building’s internal water supply system used by firefighters. It is basically an indoor fire hydrant.
“These multistory buildings have, by requirement, water supply plumbing for firefighting,” Cassidy said.
Firefighters benefited because they could set things up how they would in an actual fire.
“If we practiced in a building that was occupied, we would obviously be limited,” Cassidy said.
“We get some single-family homes once in a while (for training), which is great, but we never get to practice in a multistory commercial building like this, unless it’s controlled, which is super limited,” he added.
So far, the training has included simulating a fire attack on the third floor, with firefighters connecting the hose to the standpipe and advancing down the hallway. On another day, a crew used theater smoke for a simulation so convincing that someone reported smoke coming from the building.
On Thursday, water could be seen streaming through broken windows as crews worked inside.
Wingspan is part of the Nicholas Family of Companies, which is headquartered in the Kensington Business Center. Nicholas’ Joey Mariconda said the company’s gesture reflects its commitment to the community.
“It’s allowing (the Nicholas family) to give back to the community that they cherish so much,” he said.
szalusky@dailyherald.com