Technical Rope Rescue Training Session

As an effort to provide our Air National Guard soldiers and sister fire rescue agencies the means to train and build their proficiency skills in technical rope rescue and confined space, the Fort Buchanan Fire and Emergency Services sponsored a 16 hours technical rope rescue and confined space training session. Consistent with the standards outlined on NFPA 1006 AND 1670, the airmen from the 156CES Fire and Emergency Services Puerto Rico Air National Guard, the Puerto Rico Fire Department and brothers from Metro Emergency Response Team (MERT) were challenged both mentally and physically in order to complete each training objectives and scenarios. The Fort Buchanan F&ES designed the training into three stage areas were each instructor provided information, safety considerations and practical skills in subjects such as high angle rope skills, were the participant's rescued a suspended victim (dummy) from a 45' structure. Horizontal confined space rescue, which demanded that a group of participants acting as a team has to rescue a victim from a 32” pipe simulating a sewer drain. Lastly, participants were introduced to the latest products used in the rescue industry to ease the work of the rescuer and the retrieval of victims from such complex spaces. The ultimate goal of the session was to familiarize participants with the "technical" part of the rescue experience and for them to safely participate in the operation of simple to complex rescue skills. The training resulted in a strenuous heavy work, sweaty sessions and lots of satisfied faces.
Much appreciation for the personnel that assisted with the instructional part of each session; Reynaldo Morales, Eulando Pinero, Luis Rodriguez, Victor Rivera, Angel Jimenez & Nestor Castro.