On the afternoon of June 28, four Beverly Hills firefighters stood below the window of a hotel room at The Beverly Hilton. One held the bottom of a ladder as another worked to break the glass to gain entry.
The effort, while dramatic, was not an emergency. Rather, it was part of a two-day training held on-site in advance of the building’s demolition, and the Courier was invited to observe. The hotel offered the structure to members of the Beverly Hills Fire Department (BHFD) to practice fire mitigation and rescue operations on June 28 and 29—a rare opportunity for first responders to hone their skills in a real-world controlled environment.
“Normally, it is very difficult for fire departments to have buildings available to use, especially one as large as The Beverly Hilton,” said BHFD Assistant Fire Chief Dean Zipperman in an email to the Courier. “These partnerships, although not frequent, are highly rewarding.”
The training came in the final weeks before the destruction of the hotel’s Oasis Building, which began on June 30. The structure is being torn down as part of the construction of One Beverly Hills.
In a statement to the Courier, David Ecija, the general manager of The Beverly Hilton, said the hotel was thrilled to lend out the building in its final days.
“We’re proud to offer our space to the Beverly Hills Fire Department for this important training,” Ecija said. “Supporting our city’s first responders reflects The Beverly Hilton’s enduring commitment to service and civic partnership. For over 70 years, the hotel has stood as a community cornerstone, and we’re honored to continue that legacy in meaningful ways.”
According to Zipperman, 54 fire personnel of all ranks took part in the training over two days. Participants practiced maneuvers they may need to execute during an emergency, such as pulling fire hose lines, putting up aerial and ground ladders, flowing water and utilizing search techniques.
Firefighters took turns performing the exercises in small groups, with each team running drills for between 20 and 30 minutes at a time. All were dressed in full firefighting gear despite the heat.
“Our members were able to [work] in various areas as directed by the drill incident commander to allow every firefighter to practice real scenario tasks … as they would be doing on an emergency scene,” said Zipperman.
He added that the most challenging fire BHFD could face would be a “multi-story habitational occupied building.”
The opportunity was presented to BHFD as construction continues on One Beverly Hills, a 17.5-acre development at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards. The project, which is being led by Cain International alongside OKO Group, will include two residential towers, a new Aman hotel, boutiques and casual dining, along with 10 acres of open space. The Beverly Hilton is being renovated as part of the development.
Ground was broken for One Beverly Hills in February 2024, and construction is expected to be completed in 2028.
Larry Green, the head of development and managing director for Cain International, told the Courier that the training was emblematic of the development’s commitment to the city.
“This moment marks an important milestone in the evolution of One Beverly Hills,” he said. “It is especially fitting to offer the space for such an invaluable training—this project has always been rooted in a deep respect for Beverly Hills, and we’re proud to support the city’s continued leadership in safety and preparedness as we move into the future together.”
As the training progressed throughout the day, firefighters were provided lunch, water and snacks by hotel staff, and utilized the building’s indoors to cool off as teams alternated their participation in drills.
Zipperman noted that the opportunity allowed the department to “become more proficient as a team to accomplish the mission of saving lives and property.”
“No matter how many fires a city may encounter, each one poses a different challenge,” he said, adding, “This truly is what community-based partnerships are.”
