Wind turbine rescue training conducted
Members of MABAS Division 25 Technical Rescue Team recently conducted a training session at the GSG LLC Wind Farm north of Mendota.
With the ever increasing presence of wind turbines in the area comes the need to have the personnel properly trained to perform rescues if need be. The team has been working with the wind farm since it was built and has created a good working relationship. The wind farm personnel were on hand for the training and assisted the team. This allowed everyone to know what their functions would be in case of an emergency. The training included climbing 300 feet to the top of the turbine, rigging the ropes needed for lowering a person, immobilizing the patient to reduce further injury, and then lowering the victim and the rescuer to the ground.
Performing this kind of a rescue takes a lot of concentration and stamina along with dedication and commitment. There is little room for error and requires specially trained personnel who regularly train and have the proper equipment. The members of MABAS Division 25 Technical Rescue Team have more than 400 hours of training individually. This includes training in confined-space, trench, structural collapse and high angle rescue. The team is one of 39 state deployable teams, meaning the team can be sent anywhere the state of Illinois requests them to go. The team’s primary coverage area is Illinois Terrorism Task Force Region 7 which includes LaSalle, Bureau and Putnam counties.
The team is made up with personnel from the following departments: Grand Ridge, LaSalle, Marseilles, Mendota, Naplate, Ottawa, Pontiac, Sandwich, Streator and Utica. In just over a year, the team has responded to three grain bin rescues.
24 July 2008
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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