The little green house at 524 Ramsey Ave. S. looked as normal as ever the evening of April 7, but inside the smoke was so thick, it drew head shakes of disbelief and frustration from firefighters gathered outside.

“Going in there you don’t see a thing,” Litchfield firefighter Al Lendt said.

Good thing this was only a drill.

Wearing no air masks, teams from the Litchfield Fire Department entered the smoke-filled house on hands and knees. Using a technique known as right-hand search, the groups grabbed onto one another as they fanned out along the inside walls to search for hidden air tanks. After 15 minutes, the firefighters emerged with tanks strapped to their backs.

Training officer Tom McCormick said the intent of the drill was to help firefighters become more comfortable and keep their cool while searching for victims in tough sight situations. Without eyes to see, teamwork and communication were essential, training officer Jared Taber said.

“You need to stay in constant communication, or you’re not going to be able to do anything,” he said.

While the department might not be dealing with fire and heavy smoke daily, continual training and preparedness is important in keeping the firefighters ready for the unexpected.

“It’s very important to keep training for these situations,” said Capt. Paul Larson, a 20-year veteran on the department. “The more you train, the more it becomes instinct.”

Read more in the April 10 Independent Review.