Berwyn firefighters, EMTs & Paramedics hone their confined space rescue skills
By Newsdesk
May 16, 2015
On Saturday morning, many families enjoy some cereal and sit in front of the TV and watch some Saturday morning cartoons. Meanwhile, members of Berwyn's Confined Space Rescue team were in Chesterbrook honing their skills to rescue a victim or victims trapped in a confined space. Breaking out their equipment, they utilized a storm drain in Wilson Farm Park and practiced sending rescuers down on a rope and rescuing victims.
They used Prusiks and carabiners, pickets and LRH's, rescue tripods and 540 Belays. This is one of two training's that Berwyn conducts every year, practicing these important and perishable skills. By the end of the training, they had rescued one victim, and even completed a scenario where they had to rescue one of their own whom had gotten stranded halfway down the long narrow hole.
Berwyn Fire Company has over 20 Volunteer's and Career Staff certified in Confined Space Rescue and is a member of the Chester County Rescue Task Force. They have to understand and know things such as how to utilize rope rescue rigging, atmospheric gas monitoring, and patient care, as part of the required skills set to handle this type of incident.
Team members finishing setting up the rig and discussing their plan of action.
Lowering their team member into the hole.
Lowering Firefighter/EMT William King into the hole to rescue the victim.
Firefighter/EMT William King and Captain Ted Brawn down in the confined space.
Firefighter/Medic's Matthew Reinhardt and John Ardiff tending the belay line as the haul team works in the background.
Assistant Chief Matthew Norris acts as the rig captain and Lieutenant Brian Garver as the Incident Commander as the rescue is effected.
Team members Joshua Lichman, Matthew Reinhardt, Michael Ford and Mary Ellen Toscani pull back on the haul line to raise the victim from the space.
The rescuer (Firefighter/EMT William King) is removed from the space after a successful rescue.
Firefighter/EMT Joshua Lichman is lowered down into the confined space.
The lowering line was rendered inoperable in this scenario, and the team had to work to transfer Firefighter/EMT Joshua Lichman to a haul line for rescue.
Team members work to change over the lowering line into a haul line.
Berwyn's team members review some of their new rope hardware.
Just one of the bags displaying the team's assortment of rescue equipment at their disposal.
A victim's-eye view out of the space, with Firefighter/EMT Lichman and Assistant Chief Norris overhead keeping an eye on things.
