VIDEO: The Rock Falls Fire Department started its day Wednesday preparing for search and rescue training exercises.
The Whiteside County Health Department donated a house next door to its expanding clinic. The house will be torn down later this month and become extra parking spaces, but in the meantime, the old house is the fire department's training facility.
Most of the time, Rock Falls firefighters simulate training scenarios at the fire station.
"We don't get these very often, maybe a couple a year and they're in varying stages of disrepair," Deputy Chief Kyle Sommers said. "Some structures we're very limited on what we're able to do based on the condition of the home. This home is actually one of the better scenarios where we can have a lot of options on what we can do."