Other soldiers on similar livefireexercises were also probably unwittingly shot at, and Freshwater West beach, 1.6 miles (2.5km) north west of where the machine gun was placed, was also within the same potentially deadly area.
During October 2006, FCFRD, along with six other fire departments, used the Vienna property to conduct livefire training exercises, during which the house was destroyed.
Their realtor told them about the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) Acquired Structures Program, where a property owner allows FCFRD to conduct livefire training exercises on his or her property.