Middletown Fire Dept. In Large Live Drill Sunday in Holmdel

There will be a large scale training exercise at the former Bell Labs property in Holmdel on Sunday. 

The purpose of the drill is to practice producing water via "pipelines" said Middletown Fire Dept. spokesman John Isaksen. This drill was recently moved to Holmdel after being previously scheduled to be held at Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook.

Pond water will be pumped through two pipelines consisting of a series of fire engines connected by large diameter hoses to be discharged from the tops of ladder trucks almost a mile away.  

Participating in the exercise will be the Monmouth County Pipeline Strike Teams 1 and 7, two of seven teams designated by the Monmouth County Fire Marshal, Isaksen said. A Strike Team is made up of seven pumper engines which carry five-inch large diameter supply hose and are capable of pumping at least 1,500 gallon per minute of water.  The teams are called upon to fight large fires where the fire hydrant system cannot provide enough water, as well in areas that do not have fire hydrants.   

Pipeline Strike Teams act as temporary above-ground fire hydrant systems and practice once a year to maintain their certification

Strike Team 1 is made up of Northern Monmouth County area fire department units from Cliffwood Beach, Hazlet, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Laurence Harbor, Matawan, Middletown and Union Beach. 

The Middletown Township Fire Department supplies all the resources for Pipeline Strike Team 7, which draws from Navesink, Brevent Park, Community, Port Monmouth, River Plaza, Lincroft, and Old Village fire companies.   Strike Team 7 has assisted in large fires at the Buhler Car Dealership in Hazlet, and the Long Branch West End multiple building fires in 2012, the Beachway Condo fire in Keansburg in 2010, and the 2007 Sea Bright Fountains apartment complex fire, Isaksen said. 

Also participating will be the Monmouth County Sheriff Department’s Mobile Command Vehicle as well as the Middletown Township Fire Police, Field Communications, and EMS units.