The outside vent (OV) firefighter is often an underused or unassigned position in small town and/or understaffed departments. To some, the OV is considered a freelance position, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The benefits this position provides has a very large impact on incident mitigation, regardless of the apparatus type they arrive on.

In this course, we will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the OV operating at single & multi-family dwellings, and how this position impacts the fire ground by performing searches and supporting fire attack. We will address the components of a search size-up, VES, and what clues help us understand interior conditions. Our focus for this class is to build firefighter confidence, while enhancing basic skills through fire ground experiences. Let’s take a look at how this position can change the way your FD operates, making fire ground operations more efficient and effective.