Fire training at Hollister Municipal Airport

If you were in San Benito County sometime this week, you may have seen plumes of smoke near the airport. It was part of the Hollister Fire Department’s annual training.

Over the last three days, firefighters from all over the county have been at the Hollister Airport, setting an airplane on fire then putting it out, all ahead of this weekend’s Hollister Air Show.

Parts of three different aircraft were molded together to form this training model, which was then set on fire. Crews have to respond and get foam on the fire within 90 seconds. All of them passed with flying colors. It’s scenarios like this that the airport and Hollister Fire train for, if the unthinkable were to happen.

“Drilling as close to reality as possible,” Mike Chambless said, the Management Services Director for the City of Hollister.

This is one of the safety measures ahead of the Air Show this Father’s Day weekend. All pilots and performers have to submit paperwork detailing information about their aircraft.

“It teaches us how to get them out,” Chambless said. “The particulars about their aircraft, where the fuel is, etc. etc. etc.”

The day of, they walk firefighters through their aircraft, pointing out emergency fuel shutoffs, just in case.

“Everything that can be prepared for, is prepared for,” Chambless said. “I think we are ready to have our show.”

Chambless said the Air Show has a good track record, there have never been any incidents in the past.