Feb 10, 2007 11:53 pm US/Eastern
Fire Training Process Examined After Cadet Death
by Peggy Lee
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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A firefighter recruit dies during training in West Baltimore.
CBS
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Fire training processes will be thoroughly reviewed following the death of fire cadet Rachel Wilson. (WJZ)
CBS
Loved ones says details are still being worked out for the funeral of 29-year-old Rachael Wilson, the Baltimore Fire Department recruit who died Friday during a training exercise.
Her boyfriend's mother says a time and location for the funeral have not been set, but the funeral is expected to be held Friday.
There's still no ruling on the cause of Wilson's death. She collapsed during the exercise at a vacant rowhouse in the 100 block of South Calverton Road. The fire department and three other agencies are investigating her death.
Baltimore Fire Chief William Goodwin says the department's training procedures will be looked at "in extreme detail" in an attempt to figure out what went wrong Friday, when Wilson collapsed and died.
Wilson collapsed during a deliberately set fire at a vacant rowhouse in southwest Baltimore. She died at Shock Trauma.
Goodwin says it's imperative to find out what happened because training will continue on Monday morning.
But he says one thing won't change: You have to use fire to train firefighters.
Goodwin cut short a trip to Israel for a summit on homeland security after hearing about Wilson's death.
Mayor Sheila Dixon says city officials are doing everything they can to help Wilson's two children.
Eyewitness News spoke with the president of the firefighters' union, Rick Schluderberg.
"[We're] saddened for the family and the firefighter family. She was only with us for a short time but we have to show her the respect and honor of her sacrifice," Schluderberg said. "Our prayers are with the entire family and we really assured them that we will be with them through this whole ordeal."
As the investigation into what went wrong goes forward, officials have so far maintained that proper measures were in place.
"When you do live training like this, there is an NFBA standard that has to be followed. Forms are filled out, safety precautions take place." The chief says paramedics, a rapid response team, a safety officer, several instructors and additional trained firefighters were on scene during the exercise.
"It's not just something, where it may appear at first, you run out and set a house on fire and see if your trainees can put it out, it's nowhere near anything like that," he said.
Now Wilson leaves behind a grieving family. Her picture is posted on the homepage of her union's website, where mention is made that she leaves behind two young children.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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