The operation went very smoothly, ….

The operation went very smoothly, said GRF Safety and Emergency Coordinator Eloy Gomez, who was on site to direct traffic and steer LW pedestrians away from the training.

“Everything went off perfectly,” agreed Fedak. “It was a great training experience for all that participated,” he added, thanking the GRF for its support.

More than 50 firefighters, support staff and chiefs converged on Building 7 at Del Monte Road. Aerial ladder truck drivers practiced paralleling the building to position ladders, and firefighters took turns traversing those horizontal ladders to ascend to rooftop positions.

Dozens more firefighters in full gear laid hose, rescued mannequins from smoke-filled units, placed and climbed wall ladders, scaled rooftops, and otherwise carried out all the protocols of fighting a real fire. Nontoxic fog machines provided the faux smoke.

The exercise looked so real that several residents expressed concern, with one of them wondering if there had been a shooting.

Among the participating units were Assistant Chief of Operations, Division 1, Battalion 38, Battalion 39, Battalion 1, Battalion 11, LW’s closest Engine 48, Engine 2, Engine 84, Engine 64, Engine 46, Engine 70, Engine 26, Truck 17, Truck 81, Truck 75, Safety 9, Safety 6, Safety 7, the OCFA Training Division and the OCFA Multi-Media Division. Falck/Care Ambulance, which is housed in Leisure World, was also on scene.

Nontoxic fog from a machine simulated the smoke that filled the building during the drill.

Firefighters rescue a mock victim.