The Westmere Fire Department held its weekly exercise on January 20th, with a focus on hose line deployment and safe apparatus operation. Members practiced deploying hose lines, flaking and placing them, and carefully repacking hose to put the device back into action. Training highlighted the importance of good hose line work in reducing the time required to place water on a fire. Proper flaking eliminates kinks, improves water flow, and makes extending the line easier and requires less work. Correct hose packing was also checked to ensure that lines deployed easily and without tangles during emergencies.

The training also emphasized the significance of wearing personal protective equipment from beginning to end. Hose lines can be polluted with dirt, glass, and other hazards, according to fire officers, making PPE necessary even for regular activities like repacking equipment.