Firefighter training drill by Forest Reeder
This week’s battle between knowledge vs. experience will take us on a tour of our community discussing the styles of roofs and the operations necessary to ventilate and work on them. Each roof style depicted will present a very specific set of firefighting operational challenges and knowing just the roof style name isn’t enough for us to safely operate on them.
Experienced veteran firefighters should be able to provide details on access, operations, and safety for each roof style represented that you have in your towns. Identify by local terminology the roof style and any operational hazards that exist with them. The firefighter recruits should be able to identify the roof style whereas our veteran firefighters provide valuable insight as to the operational procedures and safety hazards for each style. Refer to your training manuals and department SOPs for additional guidance. Locate these roof styles in your response areas!
Download this firefighter training drill as a PDF HERE.
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Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as fire chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021. He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety, and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004. He is the author of Fire Department Incident Safety Officer 4th edition (2025) and co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices, now in its 3rd edition. Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety, and instructor development. He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021. In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.
