Rich Alfes, Lead Instructor, Ralph Trowbridge, Dean Paderick and Matt Dunn of Spec Rescue International recently taught a Rope Rescue class to the Key West, Florida Fire Department. The following week after the class was finished, the Key West Fire Department had the opportunity to put their new training to work. The details of the rescue are in the press release below and this is just another real world situation where quality training from Spec Rescue International resulted in saving lives.
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March 22, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Key West Firefighters rescued a wounded tourist from the top of the East
Martello Tower yesterday after the man apparently fainted and hit his head.
The fire department got the call around 2:37 p.m. to assist with moving
a patient from an observation deck about 40 feet atop the East Martello
Tower. "The only access to the deck was by a narrow spiral staircase, and
because of his condition, the patient could not be removed from the building
through that stairway," said Division Chief Mike Karash, who was one of the
13 Key West Fire Department representatives to respond to the scene.
The firefighters constructed an emergency lowering system using rescue
ropes and hardware anchored to structures on the observation deck to perform
the rescue. The patient was then successfully lowered to Key West Rescue
personnel, who were waiting below to take him to the Lower Keys Medical
Center.
"I would say we do a rope rescue like this once every two or three
months, on average," Division Chief Karash said. "We have several personnel
who are specifically trained in High Angle Rope Rescue as part of our Urban
Search and Rescue Team." The USAR was engaged in rope training just last week at the old Hawk
Missile site.
"This rescue was a successful team effort that demonstrated the
readiness and adaptability of our department," Division Chief Karash said."Our training and practice have us well-prepared to respond to patients and
victims in unusual circumstances."
 
 
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