VHFD trains with neighboring departments

Firefighters from units in Vestavia Hills and its neighbors joined together this week to refresh their skills when it comes to search and rescue missions.

Vestavia Hills Fire Department Captain Ryan Farrell said the classes, which have taken place over three days so that all firefighters could attend, are designed to train the teams for the kinds of situations they might face when trying to locate victims in a fire emergency.

Crews gathered at the Mountain Brook fire and police training facility near Cahaba Heights. They practiced entering a structure from a window, facing conditions with extremely low visibility, utilizing touch and thermal imaging to locate "victims."

To get an inside look, check out Vestavia Voice's Facebook Live coverage: