Before crews take down Smith Hall this summer, the aging residence hall was given one more job to do. Over nearly two weeks in late June and early July, local police and fire departments used the empty building for hands-on training exercises, turning a structure slated for demolition into a valuable resource for the region’s first responders.

The training was made possible through Stetson’s ongoing partnership with local public safety agencies. Stetson Public Safety, working with the DeLand Fire Department and DeLand Police Department, opened Smith Hall to crews from DeLand, Deltona, Orange City and Sanford, beginning June 26 through July 4.

Practice Drills

Firefighters ran two types of drills inside the residence hall. Technical rescue teams practiced structural collapse response with DeLand, Deltona, Orange City and Sanford crews, running one session each day on June 26, June 30 and July 1, with about 25 firefighters participating in each session.

Separately, DeLand, Deltona and Orange City crews conducted structure fire training, holding morning and afternoon sessions on June 27, 28 and 29 with roughly 20 firefighters at each session. Volusia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and K-9 units also conducted K9 building searches, high-risk tactical entry training, hostage negotiation exercises, rescue operations and other specialized law enforcement training.

None of the exercises involved live ammunition or fires, and the training did not affect university operations. Vehicles from participating police and fire departments were visible outside Smith Hall throughout the two-week period.

Safety Collaboration

“The training at Smith Hall provided an excellent opportunity for our crews to strengthen their skills in realistic training scenarios,” said Justin W. Desy, deputy chief, DeLand Fire Department. “The collaboration with our partner agencies reinforced the importance of preparedness for these types of incidents.”

Built in 1957 and named for J. Archy Smith, a former university dean and math professor, Smith Hall is being demolished this summer as part of Stetson’s campus master plan.

A 2023 housing analysis found the building would need extensive renovation that would improve its appearance but not its function, with limited ability to modernize student room layouts. Instead, Stetson built the new four-story Lynn Hall, which opened in January with 305 rooms in the heart of campus and offers many amenities and room styles for students.

In June, fencing went up around Smith Hall and demolition activity will continue through August, when the site will be converted into green space before students return for fall classes.

Making the building available for training reflects a practice Stetson has followed with buildings set for demolition and is part of the university’s broader relationship with area public safety agencies.

“Real-world conditions like these are hard to replicate,” said James E. Kurtz, Stetson’s director and chief of Public Safety and Emergency Management. “Giving our public safety partners a live building to work in before it comes down helps them be better prepared for the incidents they respond to every day.”