Jeff Molnar, second assistant chief with the Bemus Point Fire Department, said a lot of planning went into Saturday’s simulated fire. Fog was pumped into the upper floors of the iconic hotel that overlooks Bemus Bay on Chautauqua Lake while more than 20 people played the role of victims trapped in the building’s 53 rooms.

“There is a lot of pre-planning that goes into how the incident is approached,” Molnar said.

“One of the best things about these kinds of drills is that you get to work with some of your neighboring fire departments.”

Taking part in the drill were members from Bemus Point, Ashville, Ellery Center, Chautauqua, Fluvanna, Maple Springs and Busti fire departments. Also joining crews were personnel from the county Office of Emergency Services and county EMS.

Once the go-ahead was given around 10:30 a.m., a mock call went out to Bemus Point firefighters for the structure fire. While “en-route,” first responders were notified there were people trapped in the hotel.

Mutual aid companies arrived at the hotel after staging nearby to simulate a response. Some firefighters entered the hotel for a search and rescue attempt while others got hoses ready and some set up supplies to treat the injured.

Several minutes into the drill, several “victims” were brought out of the Hotel Lenhart and brought to an ambulance. At the same time, a ladder truck was used a shoot a stream of water into the air.

Because the hotel is in use for the season, no water was used on the building itself in Saturday’s drill, Molnar said.

“The idea is if you drill time and time again it becomes easier and second nature,” Molnar said, noting that the entire simulation went as planned. “Everything went very smoothly.”

“Our chief threw some curve balls in there during the drill,” he continued. “While some were inside, one of the firefighters pretended to get lost. You have to change your game plan. Nothing is ever perfect in these situations so that’s why we do these kinds of things.”

Molnar said Bemus Point firefighters typically hold four major training exercises a year in addition to almost weekly drills. He said the department will now review how Saturday’s simulation went to determine what went well and what needs work.

“It’s constant practice,” he said.