On Wednesday, politicians and community leaders got a chance to see what area firefighters do every day.
The exercise was designed to educate those in charge of fire department budgets and to explain why firefighters need equipment.
"I just think of what it feels like to have the gear on and what it feels like to have conditions; the heat and the smoke and whats it's like to maneuver all those heavy extrication tools," said Omaha Fire Department Captain Tim McCaw.
Members of the Professional Firefighters Association of Omaha and the Papillion Professional Firefighters were the hosts of Wednesday's exercise.