A live fire training took place on Sunday, September 20, 2026 on Poole Road in Gamber. A vacant house, circa 1864, was donated to the fire company for training. It was a two-story wood frame building with a metal roof and a block chimney. It had been a family residence for many years prior to being vacated. The owners went through the county government for inspection and permission to burn the structure and to be assured that there were no hazardous materials involved.
Gamber & Community Fire Co. officers, DFEMS staffers, firefighters, and junior firefighters participated in the training. No interior firefighting was conducted due to the poor condition inside the dwelling.
Personnel involved in the operation set up a folding tank in the driveway and one engine was utilized to provide water to the exposures. Tanker 13 emptied its tank into the folding tank and refilled twice from fire hydrants in Eldersburg. Pump operators used this training to refresh their skills in rural water operations when there are no fire hydrants nearby. Juniors assisted in preparing the structure by breaking windows. They also assisted with setting up hoses and rolling them up after the training.
The owners plan on building a new home on the lot once the debris is removed.
