Spotting & Positioning
Vertical Ventilation
Overview:
This hands‑on course builds the strategies and techniques needed for effective vertical ventilation on today’s fireground. Firefighters will train on both residential and commercial applications, applying proven real‑world methods that emphasize coordination, timing, and disciplined decision‑making shaped by construction type. The focus is simple: develop confident, competent crews who can open a roof safely, efficiently, and with purpose
Course Highlights
- Proper Apparatus Placement: Develop the ability to read the scene fast and position the aerial for maximum access with minimal hazards.
- Building Access Considerations: Learn how to factor in building layout, fire conditions, and operational needs to place the apparatus where it supports the mission best.
- Safety Protocols: Strengthen decision‑making by identifying collapse zones, traffic hazards, and personnel exposure to ensure safe, disciplined placement.
- Coordination with Fireground Teams: Train to work seamlessly with engine companies, rescue crews, and command to keep operations efficient, synchronized, and effective
- Emphasis on one of our foundational beliefs “First Truck Doesn’t Stage”
Who Should Attend
- Aerial operators, truck officers, and anyone who rides the Truck or helps spot it—this course is built for the people who put steel in the sky and make the fireground move.
- Firefighters who want a deeper, street‑smart understanding of where the rig goes, how the tools get deployed, and how to keep the truck in the fight from the time the e-brake sets until the completion of overhaul.
- Departments that want tighter, tougher truck work—smarter positioning, cleaner access, and a fireground that runs smoother because the truck company set the stage from the start.
Why Choose This Course
Nailing the spot is everything. The success of your fireground operations starts with where that aerial lands, and this course gives your crew the reps to make fast, strategic placement decisions under pressure. Your team learns how to put the rig where it matters—boosting access, tightening rescue and suppression performance, and keeping firefighters safer when the scene gets demanding
Training Benefits:
- Master the craft of spotting the rig exactly where it needs to be—maximizing access, safety, and fireground impact.
- Tighten coordination between the Truck, the Engines, and Command so the entire operation moves as one disciplined, aggressive team.
- Learn the real‑world positioning mistakes that slow crews down or create hazards—and how to avoid them when the heat is on.
Course Structure
- Classroom Foundations: Ventilation principles, building construction, roof operations, and safety protocols taught with a street‑smart, fireground‑focused approach.
- Hands‑On Roof Work: Real‑world drills that put firefighters on the roof—accessing, moving, and cutting with the same tools and techniques they’ll use under fire conditions.
- Scenario‑Based Coordination: Full‑mission evolutions that force crews to time ventilation with suppression and rescue, sharpening communication and fireground rhythm.
Why Choose Brass Shamrock Training?
At Brass Shamrock Training, we know that everything starts with hands‑on work and real‑world reps. We put your crew on the pad, on the street, and in the seat so they build the instincts and confidence needed to excel on the fireground. Our Spotting and Positioning program trains firefighters to make sharp, informed decisions when it counts—boosting safety, tightening operations, and setting the entire scene up for success. FIRST TRUCK DOESN’T STAGE