GUILDERLAND, NY — August 17, 2026 —  On Monday nite, Westmere Fire Department personnel practiced using high-rise hose packs and conducting fire assault operations in multi-story buildings.

The hose packages used for high-rise and mid-rise accidents were practiced by firefighters. When workers must operate above the reach of their equipment, the department's training covered how to carry, deploy, and connect hose packs to a building's fire-suppression system.

Instead of lugging a fully extended line from an engine, firefighters can enter a multistory building with a manageable bundle of hose, nozzles, and ancillary fittings thanks to high-rise hose packs. Crews may link their assault line to an internal standpipe, depending on the building and its fire safety system.