A drill in Monterey prepares firefighters for ‘one of the most difficult fires’ they may ever face.

Erik Chalhoub here, thinking about teamwork. I’ve been a part of small teams throughout my newspaper career, and I understand firsthand how critical it is for everyone to be working on the same page to achieve a larger goal.

This morning, Tuesday, June 11, I witnessed teamwork on a grand scale that may save lives in the future.

About 15 fire agencies from across Monterey County participated in a fire drill at the Marriott Hotel in Monterey. It was the first such drill in more than a decade, says Monterey Fire Division Chief Greg Greenlee, and the first exercise under the recently updated countywide guidelines for fire drills.

Firefighters stationed themselves in the parking lot of Dust Bowl Brewing Company next to Fisherman’s Wharf. At 10am, a simulated call aired over the dispatch, advising firefighters of a possible fire in a room on the eighth floor of the 10-story Marriott.

Monterey Fire was first on the scene, with a crew entering the hotel’s fire control room to check the alarm system and assess the situation. They then worked their way up floor-to-floor, checking each level until they found the “fire,” in this case, a fog machine coating the entire eighth floor, making it difficult to see.

Greenlee says the drill is not only physically challenging, but it’s also meant to simulate the delay for additional resources to arrive outside of the city.

“This is probably one of the most difficult fires we’ll ever fight,” he says. “Logistically it’s challenging for our county because we’re spread out. [Other agencies] are going to take time to get here. They’re not just going to show up right away.”

The streets surrounding the Marriott were shut down through the late morning and early afternoon, as dozens of fire engines and police vehicles, including ladder trucks, were stationed outside. The hotel was still open during the drill, leading to some confused guests who must have missed the posted signs throughout notifying them of the drill.

Greenlee says the goal was to get about 100 firefighters on the ground, in the stairwells and in the hallways, looking for “victims” by opening each room. The fact that the hotel is occupied by hundreds of people adds another layer of challenge, as they would be evacuating on the same stairwells the firefighters are walking up.

Greenfield Fire Deputy Chief Tyler Keisling led myself and other media up to the eighth floor, where simulated smoke choked the hallways that was a beehive of activity, with firefighters in full gear shouting commands over the screeching alarms while their flashlights cut through the fog. 

I did my best to stay out of their way—even though I bumped into multiple firefighters, I like to think my impeding presence helped add to the training scenario.

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High-rise drill in Monterey draws dozens of firefighters. Flipping through the pages, again and again.