Firefighters Get Training on New Fireproof Roofs

With consumers trying out new fireproof roofing materials in response to the recent California wildfires, cities and counties across the state are adopting new training techniques for firefighters and instructors.

The training includes learning how to deal with the new roofing materials. One such material is stone-coated steel roofing, which manufacturers say resists collapse even when an underlying roof structure has burned through.

“There are more than 170,000 homes in California with this type of roofing product,” said Gary Nickle, a training instructor with the McMullen Co., a fire training and consulting firm. “So you (would want) to know how to deal with them before you encounter them.”

The training includes learning the installation features of the stone-coated roof and how to use tools effectively to ventilate the roof, Nickle said.

Because of the reduced danger of the roof’s collapsing, firefighters are able to use better “roof ventilation” techniques, according to Nickle.

John Miller of Sierra Tile Inc., which manufactures the roofing material at its Corona plant, said that stone-coated steel roofing was first developed in New Zealand more than 50 years ago.

The material is a combination of lightweight steel coated with zinc and stone granules and sealed with weatherproof acrylic, Miller said.