Pocono News Section

Trench Rescue Training

Trench Rescue Training - Sunday, September 30, 2007 at 8:31PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Sunday, Sep 30, 2007 @08:31pm EST
ARCHBALD, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - It could happen at anytime, anywhere, that's why dozens of first responders spent Sunday afternoon taking part in trench rescue training in Lackawanna County.

Officials say getting the victim out is more difficult than it looks.

"In this community, we have never seen this rescue, but we felt the need to train for this due to the amount of expansion in the community," Joseph Marshalek of the Archbald Community Ambulance Association said.

Sunday afternoon, fire companies and ambulance personnel came together to learn how to work together and perform a simulated trench rescue.

"It doesn't matter how much equipment you have, the quality of the equipment, it's all based on your people and their training and how well they work together. If you don't have that, the tools are meaningless," Martin Barry with the Luzerne County Techincal Rescue Society said.

From hammers, to plywood, it takes more tools than the average person would think to make sure the rescuers don't need rescuing themselves.

"Dealing with different soils in Northeast Pennsylvania, it's very common for a second or even third collapse of a trench after the first one happens," Matt McDonald said. McDonald is a volunteer with the Chinchilla Hose Company.

The firefighters and ambulance personnel who took part in Sunday's training session have become trench rescue specialists. They will now back to teach their individual companies what they've learned.