The Vista Fire Department would like to congratulate Foreman Ryan Ruggiero on completing the "Fires in Concealed Spaces" class at the Westchester County Fire Training Center in Valhalla, New York.

"Fires in Concealed Spaces" class is a 2-hour course described as the following:

“Locating the fire and knowing where it is at all times is critical to the safety of all members. This class is intended to share with the student, whether firefighter up to chief, the importance of maintaining situational awareness at all times. Knowledge of building construction is essential to this process. Knowing and predicting where fire may travel will give the firefighter the edge in gaining the upper hand at any operation.

The Instructor will review some personal experiences where hidden fire potentially could have resulted in catastrophe. He will also review some historic fires that had resulted in multiple line-of duty deaths such as:

• 23rd Street Fire
• Davidson Fire
• Black Sunday

In the class we will discuss building construction such as Type 3 (NFP), and Type 5 (Wood Frames) with the numerous voids as it relates to fire spread and extension. Modern buildings have HVAC systems which contain ductwork that runs throughout the building. We will discuss what to look for and how to read the building."

All training is free of charge to the members of the Vista Fire Department and Volunteers are needed! Please visit VistaFD.org for more details on how you can join our team!