It’s just a drill but the flames are real in the state's Mobile Fire Training Unit. Local firefighters experienced the heat at a recent weekend training.

"You make these guys do it the exact same way that we're going to do it if we went to a fire in town right now," said Lt. Justin Dubois.

On Saturday and Sunday, firefighters from Mattapoisett and Acushnet trained at the Old Rochester Regional Junior High parking lot.

The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services allows towns to use the unit for free, but it does take time to secure a date, said Dubois. The weekend training was not required for each firefighter, but it did count towards individuals' required training hours for the year.

Although the training unit is a trailer, Dubois said there is a makeshift kitchen and bed inside. Stairs on top also allow firefighters to simulate entering a basement.

For each situation, new and seasoned firefighters enter the unit and must find and put out a fire in zero visibility conditions.

"It's good for the guys to experience that," said Dubois.

As they would in a real building fire, everyone has assigned roles and they communicate via radio.

"It's the repetitiveness, so when the event does come, it's almost second nature," Dubois said. "You're just going to go through the steps the way you need to."