The Lakewood Fire Department yesterday hosted a joint drill with the Berkeley Hazmat Team and the Point Pleasant Fire Department at the Church & Dwight facility in Lakewood.

The drill focused on a simulated release of odorless propane and ethyl alcohol. Firefighter crews practiced stretching extended hose lines, monitoring the atmosphere for hazards, mitigating the leaks, and rescuing an injured party from a storage tank.

“Drills like these help prepare our firefighters and mutual aid partners to hone our strategy and tactics to better serve the Lakewood area,” Lakewood Fire Chief Jon Yahr told TLS. “While incidents like the one simulated at the Church & Dwight facility are rare, they do occasionally occur. These drills ensure that the Lakewood Fire Department and our mutual aid partners are ready and properly equipped to perform rescues and protect the property of Lakewood residents and businesses.”