Benbrook Firefighters Take Training to the Roof.

Before firefighters ever cut into a roof during a real emergency, there’s plenty of practice behind the skill.

The Benbrook Fire Department spent Tuesday training on vertical ventilation, a technique firefighters may use during structure fires to release heat, smoke and superheated gases through an opening in the roof. Done correctly, it can help improve conditions inside the burning structure.

Rather than train several feet off the ground, firefighters practiced safely at ground level using pallets and plywood to simulate roofing materials.

The session focused on “rolling the joists,” which teaches firefighters to cut through roof materials without cutting the structural joists supporting the roof.

It’s the kind of technical work residents may never see when an emergency happens, but Tuesday’s training offered a look at the preparation that takes place long before the call comes in.

Watch the Benbrook Fire Department’s training video here.