Smoke was visible in parts of downtown Paso Robles Thursday morning due to a training drill put on by the Paso Robles Fire Department.
Fire officials say the over the last year-and-a-half, the department has hired 10 new firefighters and this kind of training gives them "a unique opportunity to do hands-on learning in the real word.”
The drill, which included the use of a smoke simulator to make the scene look more realistic, took place on the 1400 block of Park Street at the Paso Robles Elks Lodge.
Fire officials say it gave the new members an opportunity to identify potential hazards and learn about building construction features that could possibly complicate firefighting efforts as the lodge has a large basement that is not visible from the street.
