Firefighters from Eastern and Western Salisbury fire departments combined their drill night July 13 to sharpen their firefighting skills at a high-occupancy apartment complex in Western Salisbury.

Both fire departments responded to the Devonshire Park Apartments along 33rd Street S.W. to coordinate the activities necessary in a real emergency situation.

After staging in the parking area of the Salisbury Middle School, equipment was dispatched to a section of the complex by WSFD Chief Joshua Wells.

WSFD performed an initial "search" drill to determine if all occupants were evacuated, while another crew checked the basement and attic areas of adjoining sections to search for "fire extension."

ESFD firefighters, under the direction of Deputy Chief Dennis Takacs, hooked up to a hydrant along 33rd Street to make sure the initial fire attack engine was supplied with water.

The drill was interrupted when both departments responded to an active call for a microwave fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

Units returned to the scene to drill again at a different section of the apartment complex. The second site was along Devonshire Road.