Southwest Harbor, ME — July 23 — Departments from all across Mount Desert Island attended a wildland firefighting refresher led by the Southwest Harbor Fire Department, located at 250 Main St., Southwest Harbor, ME. Firefighters received practical instruction in the use of portable pumps, the deployment of wildland equipment, and fireground techniques for brush and wood fires.

During practical drills in remote areas, Truck 114 from Southwest Harbor was utilized. Lt. Ben Wallace oversaw the training, and Wildland firefighter Fred Mason gave instruction. Since a large portion of the island is covered by Acadia National Park, the training enhanced regional readiness for potential wildland fire occurrences and reinforced mutual aid partnerships.