The Union Leader
LONDONDERRY, N.H. — Firefighters from Londonderry, Bedford and Salem simulated a low-angle rescue yesterday, using ropes to haul a man on an ambulance sled up an embankment.
The 14 firefighters present were on the verge of completing an intensive 32-hour training program focused on rescuing people from confined spaces and elevated heights. The participants included seven firefighters from Londonderry, five from Salem and two from Bedford.
“It’s a little extra training,” said Londonderry firefighter Chris Lamy, standing on the hill where the simulated rescue occurred.
This week’s classes took place at Granite Ridge Energy, a power plant located on North Wentworth Avenue in Londonderry. Jim Roger, Londonderry fire captain and director of training for the Londonderry Fire Department, said the power plant has 109 confined spaces, providing a wide variety of places to perform exercises.
The seven Londonderry firefighters completing the program this week are the last of the 40-person Londonderry Fire Department to receive the training.
The classes are not part of regular training for firefighters, but according to Roger, they have become a priority for Londonderry fire officials due to the town’s extensive amount of industrial space. Specific areas of concern include industrial parks near Interstate 93 and Manchester Airport, as well as a proposed large-scale construction project on Woodmont Orchard. Specialized preparation “makes us more effective and more efficient,” said Roger.
Firefighters also engaged in a simulated a high-altitude rescue yesterday afternoon, repelling down a Granite Ridge building while lowering a “victim” from a high spot. The class also included a simulation of a large industrial accident, providing firefighters with a chance to practice heavy-lifting exercises.