10/20/2026
🚒 TRAINING FOR THE REAL THING: VERTICAL VENTILATION
Why do firefighters cut holes in roofs during a fire? There’s actually a very important reason!
Our crews have recently been putting our new roof training prop to work, practicing vertical ventilation, an important part of the work performed by our truck company during structure fires.
When a building is on fire, heat, smoke, and dangerous gases can build up inside. Vertical ventilation involves creating an opening in the roof to allow that heat and smoke to escape. When properly coordinated with interior firefighting operations, this can improve visibility and conditions for firefighters working inside and help support rescue and fire suppression efforts.
It’s a challenging task that requires firefighters to work safely and efficiently on a roof while operating saws and other tools, often under difficult conditions.
Our new training prop gives crews the opportunity to practice these skills in a controlled environment, from positioning our aerial ladder and working on pitched roofs to cutting ventilation openings and coordinating as a team.
Training like this is about more than cutting a hole in a roof. It’s about building proficiency, improving teamwork, and making sure our firefighters are prepared to perform when it matters most.
