 |
| Matt Brady, 11th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, left, lowers himself into an elevator shaft as fire Lt. Donald Simms, 11th Civil Engineer Squadron lead firefighter, adjusts equipment during elevator rescue training May 6, 2015, on Joint Base Andrews, Md. Placing an edge protector under ropes guards against fraying, increasing rope lifespan and overall safety. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Preston Webb) |
11th Wing Public Affairs
5/8/2015 JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- On a quiet day in a small office, people go about their normal routine; ride the elevator, check e-mail, file paperwork. Suddenly, that comfortable monotony is broken. Deafening sirens blare through the building.
Everyone evacuates as quickly as possible, except those riding in an elevator. The doors won't open. Trapped inside with no idea what's going on, they pound on the doors and cry. No one stops to help, leaving them to their fate.
Moments later, they hear a loud knock and footsteps above them.
"Stay calm. I'm with the fire department, and we're here to get you out," a voice echoes through the shaft.
 |
| Matt Brady, 11th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, uses a radio to inform firefighters how far he’s travelled down an elevator shaft May 6, 2015, on Joint Base Andrews, Md. Communication between the rescuer and their fellow firefighters is crucial to ensure the process goes smoothly. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Preston Webb) |
To prepare for situations similar to this, firefighters at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, conducted specialized elevator rescue training here from May 4 to May 7, 2015.
"Elevator rescues are a reality firefighters here may face," said Master Sgt. Lincoln Ratliff, 11 CES Fire Department assistant chief of training. "By identifying our risks, we can tailor specialized training to mitigate those risks and provide overall better service to those who work and reside on JBA."
Kelly Byrne, a Washington D.C. firefighter with 23 years of experience and 12 years of rope rescue experience, prepared JBA's firefighters for several situations they could be exposed to while performing an elevator rescue.
Byrne, also a former Army infantryman, trained the firefighters to use a multi-purpose-device belay system. The simple rope system can be setup quickly and manipulated easily. Extra pulleys can be added for an additional mechanical advantage, requiring less effort to raise a load on a rope - whether a victim, rescuer or equipment.
 |
| Firefighters with the 11th Civil Engineer Squadron pull a fellow firefighter out of an elevator shaft May 6, 2015, on Joint Base Andrews, Md. By conducting elevator rescue training, 11th CES firemen increase their standard of coverage to provide better service to the base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Preston Webb) |
"Many of these guys hadn't seen these techniques before, so I'm glad they could trust me as an instructor so quickly," he said.
The training began by reviewing procedures in a classroom before moving onto practical exposure. Firefighters worked on different skills including unlocking and opening elevator doors, passing equipment from floor to floor, and rappelling and rescuing a simulated victim.
Airman Jesse Betts, 11th CES Fire Department firefighter, and several others gained essential hands-on experience of what it might be like performing a rope-rescue.
"You can't be intimidated by things like this. If you're not afraid it's that much easier to do your job," Betts said.
Mental and physical preparation for a wide variety of scenarios is necessary for anyone who may respond to an emergency situation, Byrne said.
"You can hardly imagine the bad spots people get themselves into during an emergency," Byrne said. "So when bad things happen, you're already prepared because you're trained for the worst."
