| On Sunday, June 28, 2026, the Ridge VFD hosted a live-fire training exercise in Dameron. Firefighters from multiple neighboring departments spent hours working in intense heat inside a donated house. The real-world environment allowed crews to practice critical firefighting and water supply skills.
Crews went inside the burning structure to touch on several hands-on key training benchmarks:
• Interior Attack: Teams advanced hose lines into the house to fight active fire under real-world extreme heat flashover conditions.
• Fire Dynamics: Firefighters monitored active flow paths, smoke behavior, and rapid heat shifts to accurately predict fire growth.
• Rapid Extinguishment: Crews practiced precise water streams to test their split-second suppression tactics under extreme pressure.
• Water Supply Operations: Pump operators managed multiple water sources simultaneously, including a continuous, off-shore supply from Boat 4.
The training included coordination and support among several local emergency crews:
• Naval District Washington Fire Department (NDWFD) Company 14 (Webster Field), Second District VFDRS, and Hollywood VFD brought firefighters and engineers to train along with our members.
• Ridge VRS ran an onsite rehab station, checking vitals and providing medical standby to keep everyone safe during the drill.
Once all the training exercises were finished, the house was completely burned down, wrapping up a safe and successful day of joint training.
The Ridge VFD extends a sincere thank you to the family who generously donated the house, making this invaluable, hands-on training possible. The department also thanks the neighboring crews who came out to train, assist, and help keep everyone on the scene safe. |
