Pawlet, VT - Six neighboring fire agencies converged in Dorset to participate in a high-intensity, multi-discipline mutual aid training evolution focused on live-fire suppression tactics and rural water logistics.

Participating in the regional "Training Tuesday" session on August 25, 2026, the West Pawlet Volunteer Fire Department deployed across Bennington County to work alongside firefighters from the Arlington, Dorset, Pawlet, Manchester, and Rupert fire departments on the grounds of the J.K. Adams property.

The practical exercise put crews through a rigorous series of coordinated fireground evolutions. Interior and exterior attack teams advanced charged hose lines directly into controlled burn scenarios, practicing nozzle techniques, water application, and stream management under realistic heat and smoke conditions. Simultaneously, personnel carried out dedicated ladder company operations, focusing on strategic ladder placement, elevated access, and structural positioning.

To support sustained fire attack in a non-hydranted setting, the participating departments established a large-scale, continuous tanker shuttle operation. Crews coordinated drafting, fill-site setups, and rapid water dumping into portable drop tanks to test high-volume water supply delivery under pressure.

The hands-on training allowed all six departments to fine-tune incident command communication, apparatus integration, and operational efficiency across municipal borders.