The three dozen or so firefighters on hand are part of the Technical Rescue Team unit. Early Thursday they trained in structural damage rescue techniques at the old Michigan Links apartments in Ft. They went through a series of drills including setting up structural supports, entering through debris and rescuing victims. The drills were a reminder of the recent tragedy in South Carolina where nine firefighters died after warehouse roof caved in on them. Keith Cortner with Ft Myers Fire Rescue says the tragedy was on everybody’s mind.
“Do we talk about it sure? So it is in our mind? Absolutely! Can this training be tied into that? Sure. There was a structural collapse due to a fire rather than natural disaster and that type of thing. A structural collapse is a structural collapse and a lot of what we do today can be applied to that once the fire is out and taken care of.”
The TRT unit holds monthly training sessions similar to this one. Other skills the team trains on include; high angle rescue, swift water rescue and wilderness search and rescue.
