Article and photos by Wes Hill
Like many departments, we have a fancy roof prop located at our training grounds, but it’s location is not convenient for our use. My company identified the need for something cheap and simple to keep around the station that we could use to practice our cutting techniques.
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We used 2′ x 4’s to frame up an 8′ x 8′ square. We then attached two sheets of 4′ x 8′ plywood. The design was to implement with our stabilization struts, allowing us to fluctuate the pitch. Using some of the concrete pillars for added support, we can throw a roof ladder up. This is something that works for our company on a small budget–everything was constructed for less than $50.
Wes Hill is captain of the Fort Riley (KS) Fire Department’s Ladder Company 1 and president of the Crossroads FOOLS.
MORE PROPS
Chalk and PVC: A Creative Prop for Vertical Ventilation
The Use of Shipping Containers in Live Fire Training
Lessons for Teaching Hands-on Training
ALSO
Pull Back Methods of Roof Cutting
