Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • April 25, 2012 Midland Park The Midland Park Volunteer Fire Department last week held a Mutual Aid Fire Drill at Kuiken Brothers Lumber Company on Lake Avenue. Ten area fire departments participated in the event, organized by Midland Park Fire Chief Mark Berninger (pictured at far right) to refine the department’s pre-planning for fighting a fire in the future at Kuiken Brothers, with the Ridgewood Fire Department and the other mutual aid towns. Ridgewood FD responds with Midland Park on every fire call to Kuiken. Berninger said he chose the Kuiken site because there has not been a drill there in over 20 years and estimated that three times the number of fire departments would be called to assist in a real fire there. Berninger started the drill by simulating a small fire in one of the sheds and then deemed it out of control, with a firefighter down. The area was evacuated and “FAST” rescue teams were sent in to locate and remove the downed man. Tactics were then switched to a defensive attack, and the department worked with Ridgewood Water to determine how much water was available to extinguish a fire of the magnitude that might occur at a lumber yard. Always prepared