Ridge VFD members gathered this past Monday evening for our December drill; Live Fire Training - Basement Ops. We traveled to the Joseph Sacco Firefighting and Safety Training School at The Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship in Piney Point, MD for the drill. The School is equipped to simulate shipboard fires. We used the facility to simulate an interior home attack, with a focus on basement fire operations. The Engine Room was used for this drill, serving as a home basement. The room has floor- and ceiling-based fire outlets that produce large area flames reaching temperatures of 300°-400° F.

We utilized the multi-level training facility to simulate breaching the main floor of a residence, then pushing into the basement. We practiced line advancement, stair navigation, nozzle control, extinguishment, situational awareness, and teamwork.

We'd like to thank the staff at the Joseph Sacco Firefighting and Safety Training School for volunteering their time and supporting us during this training exercise.