Rescuing Victims of Disaster

Firefighters in our area complete their final day of training to become part of the Region 8 Rescue Team.

The scene at the Old Muskingum County Home resembled a demolition sight, but it’s been used for much more this week. It’s training firefighters for our region on how to rescue victims of disaster.

"It’s a better learning process for them if they learn the hardest possible way they would have to do it and then if it’s not that then it’s easier for them at a later time," said Lead Instructor Matt Scarbury.

Friday they put a week’s worth of classwork and hands on training to the test as they had to enter the building, shore up the damaged spots and safely remove three victims.

"You need strong personalities and really psychical people to get in there and working" said Scarbury.

With the structural collapse of the building over the last few days safety and accuracy is key when rescuing victims.

"We’ve been simulating victims inside," explained Scarbury. "The victims call for them and that’s the mental toughness. It’ll be a challenge for them, hearing the victim and it takes so long to get to them. We have to make sure the building is safe for us before we can get to them."

The fifteen firefighters were split into groups some outside cutting the wood pieces for shores the others inside building them and rescuing victims.

At the end of the day all the firefighters will be debriefed and receive their level one certification in structural collapse.

"This team will be the first one deployed in this region if anything would happen like that," said Scarbury. "It’s critical that these guys have that skill set to be right there in a little bit of time to get people."

Training certification is run through Bowling Green University and should the firefighters want to continue their rescue training they can move on to Level 2 certification a longer, more technical ten day course.