ALTUS, Okla_A collapsed
structure with seven people trapped, severely injured or even dead inside but
this wasn't a real disaster. It was a scenario for 19 Altus Air Force Base firefighters
working eagerly to get to those victims. The exercise gave base firefighters training
on how to react quickly should an emergency of this magnitude actually occur.
It was
interesting to see the firemen take the time to rescue the dummies, treating
them like live people and making sure no harm came to them. Friday's exercise
was a conclusion of a week's worth of emergency response training.
Concrete, dust
and water flew everywhere as base firefighters worked quickly and cautiously to
get the dummy survivor from underneath a heavy slab of concrete.
Four had been
rescued with just a few more to go.
"The most
difficult part of this situation is trying to understand the weaknesses of your
other team players and trying to let them grow on a trained environment and not
try to overbear them or take over what they're trying to perform," firefighter
Matt Sands said.
Instructor Sean
Broyles said it's important the firemen learn exactly what to do especially
living in tornado alley. The firefighters are often the first ones on the
scene.
"When you
go in a tornado situation you've got houses down you actually have to go in and
you build these shores to access victims that are trapped under rubble."
Using electric
blades, they cut alternate routes through concrete walls and built shores to
secure the structure but they weren't done. They had to maneuver through fallen
debris and even cut their way through some of it to carefully free victims trapped
underneath the fallen structure. The wrong slip and it was all over for the
person down.
"The
hardest part is learning to slow down a little bit. We're used to speed and
even though this is quicker than trying to re-frame a house or something of
that nature it still takes a little time," fireman Michael Coghill said.
Something they
had to learn to do to succeed in today's rescue mission.
"I am now
more confident in my skills. I have a good understanding of how to do it, but
this is actually validated and reoccurring muscle memory. It makes me feel good
that I'm actually building something that if I'm ever called on I know what
decisions to make," Sands said.
The instructors travel across the nation teaching first responders what
to do and how to do it better when
disaster strikes.
