Firefighters from across the region spent the fall honing critical response skills inside several vacant buildings in the 400 block of Howard Street — an opportunity local officials say is rarely available and tremendously valuable.
The Hibbing Fire Department led four advanced, hands-on training sessions in the soon-to-be-demolished commercial structures, allowing crews to practice in realistic downtown conditions rather than simulated environments.
Departments from Chisholm, Keewatin, Duluth, Cherry, and Greenway joined Hibbing’s Stations 1 and 2 personnel for the multiweek training series.
Fire Chief Erik Jankila said the opportunity to train in actual commercial buildings brought significant value to firefighters’ readiness.
“Training opportunities like this don’t come around often,” added Jankila. “Having access to real downtown structures allowed our firefighters to sharpen their skills in the exact type of environment they may respond to. It strengthens not only our department, but our entire community’s resilience.”
The first session focused on high- and low-angle rope rescue using the Arizona Vortex system and aerial device anchoring. A total of 27 firefighters practiced vertical and horizontal litter operations on the side of the former Teske Building along with simulated confined-space and shaft rescues.
Next, a total of 42 firefighters toured 412 E. Howard Street and the Teske Building to study Type III construction features up close — void spaces, cocklofts, parapets, and utility chases — structures they will soon no longer have access to once demolition begins.
The training provided insight that’s impossible to replicate in a classroom, said Training Officer Jake Woinarowicz, who served as one of the instructors throughout the series.
“These structures gave us real-world conditions we can’t recreate in a sterile training space,” Woinarowicz said. “The skills gained here directly translate to safer, more effective responses for our residents.”
A third training put 42 participants through hose advancement and overhaul exercises. Under Woinarowicz and Lead Instructor Joe Carney, crews worked through hose deployment, nozzle control, water mapping, and a hands-on scenario that required pushing a hose line to the second floor and performing overhaul operations.
The series concluded with search-and-rescue and vertical ventilation drills. Forty-three firefighters practiced evidence-based search tactics, victim drags, and roof-cutting techniques under the guidance of Woinarowicz, Capt. Dustin Kunnari, and Fire Marshal/Battalion Chief Shawn Nickila.
Nickila emphasized the importance of realism in firefighter training.
“Every evolution we ran — rope rescue, hose advancement, search techniques —reinforces decision-making under pressure,” he said. “That’s what saves lives.”
City leadership praised the regional collaboration that took place throughout the training series.
“When our firefighters train together, our entire region becomes stronger,” said Mayor Pete Hyduke. “This is a model example of the cooperation that defines the Iron Range, and Hibbing is proud to host it.”
Across all four sessions, the department logged 134 individual training participations, reinforcing regional collaboration and ensuring firefighters are better prepared for emergencies in the downtown corridor.
Jankila said the teamwork built during the weeks of training will pay dividends long after the buildings come down.
“Training in real buildings builds the kind of muscle memory you simply can’t replicate elsewhere,” he said. “It strengthens communication, confidence, and trust—everything that matters during an emergency.”
The buildings are under ownership of the Hibbing Economic Development Authority (HEDA). HEDA is leading the 400 Block Redevelopment Project, which focuses on the remediation and demolition of deteriorated properties — including three dilapidated buildings and a vacant lot — along Howard Street, the city’s main corridor.
Community Development Director Betsy Olivanti, who advises HEDA, said the use of the buildings for training demonstrates purposeful stewardship of city assets.
“This is a great example of how the city can utilize its resources to train its own staff,” Olivanti said. “We’re ensuring the community gets full value from the property before it’s demolished.”
HEDA selected Rebound Partners earlier this year to lead a $24.3 million mixed-use housing and retail project known as The Iron Exchange 400 in this block. Demolition is slated to begin in early 2026.
Hyduke, also a member of HEDA, said it is outstanding that firefighters had the chance to gain real-world experience in a setting like this.
“This is something you simply don’t get every day,” he added. “It’s a feather in our cap to make these buildings available for such high-level training. The kudos belong to the team, and the preparation they gained here will serve this community well.”