Monday, October 1, 2012

Technical Rescue Training – Spotlight on Trench Rescue

Firefighters on TFD’s Technical Rescue team were hard at work last week practicing the operational aspects of trench rescue. Typical trench rescue scenarios involve scene stabilization, shoring up the sides of a trench and digging a trapped person out of a collapsed ditch.

Firefighters drilled on how to use waler systems to protect an open space inside a trench.  They also practiced lifting a heavy object at the bottom of a trench, and working around a piece of equipment such as a backhoe, or excavator that may have failed and is still in the trench.

“Trench rescue is one of the most dangerous operations we respond to," said Training Captain Lee Law. “Hands-on training is a great tool to help our personnel be well equipped to save someone trapped, while ensuring firefighter safety during these high risk operations.”

TFD's Technical Rescue team is trained to conduct rope, trench, confined space, structural collapse and vehicle/machinery rescues.