Larchwood, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — The Hawarden Fire Department is putting newly purchased training equipment to work and sharing it with neighboring departments.
Hawarden firefighters recently traveled to Larchwood to lead forcible entry training after one of Larchwood’s firefighters learned about the department’s new props during a Firefighter II class.
Hawarden Fire Chief Payne Allen said the department was able to purchase the specialized equipment thanks to two grants totaling $15,000.
The Siouxland Community Foundation awarded $7,500 for the package, and the Hawarden Community Foundation matched that amount. The funding allowed Hawarden to purchase three separate training props, including a full-force door, an all-in-one prop for saw and hinge work, and a commercial steel door simulator.
Allen says forcible entry is part of the Firefighter I curriculum and a critical skill when responding to structure fires, medical calls, or unknown emergencies where locked doors can delay rapid entry.
Without the props, departments would have to rely on acquired structures and real doors, which can only be forced once before needing replacement. The reusable props allow firefighters to repeat the training multiple times and practice different locking mechanisms without added cost.
Allen says Hawarden is willing to bring the equipment to other departments that may not otherwise have access to this type of training, strengthening regional preparedness across northwest Iowa.
Allen has served as Hawarden’s fire chief since July 2024 and has been in the fire service since 1997.
KIWA Staff Photo
