Fog And Fire: North Caldwell FD Runs Through Drills At Local Home

CALDWELLS, NJ — It takes some hard work to keep your skills sharp as a firefighter. In North Caldwell, the local fire department recently got a chance to practice those drills at a local home – getting a big thank-you in the process.

The North Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department shared some details about the training exercise in a recent social media post:

“Over the course of June and July, your North Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department had the opportunity to conduct training at a home in town. Over the course of three drills, your volunteer firefighters had the ability to train on multiple things.

“Members able to conduct hose evolutions with near zero visibility through the use of a fog machine. This puts the members in a simulated fire scenario, without the use of live fire. While members stretched hose to fine and ‘extinguish’ the simulated fire, other members, including our junior firefighters, reviewed ladder placement for both ventilation, rescue and roof access.

“Members also trained with various overhaul techniques through the use of a variety of tools. This gave members that may not use certain tools all time a chance to see the practical applications for them. Members had a chance to sharpen their forcible entry skills with multiple doors. Members were also shown the use of a specialized nozzle known as a bresnan distributor or typically referred to as a cellar nozzle. Used to help with basement fires, members were shown how to make the necessary size opening, positioning it at a good height and seeing the operation from the basement side.

“Lastly, members had the opportunity to conduct vertical ventilation by cutting holes in the roof. They were given the chance to utilize multiple types of saws, showing the advantages and disadvantages of each. While conducting the training on the roof, another specialized nozzle known a chimney nozzle was shown and operations with it reviewed.

“Through the three drills, the volunteer firefighters we able sharpen their skills in multiple areas that would otherwise be difficult to do. We greatly welcome these opportunities.”

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