Fire Department Special Operations Trains For Rescues Over 100 Feet Off The Ground

Press Release

Des Moines, Iowa- Friday, April 12, 2024 - Stepping off the edge of a 100-foot building is enough to make almost anyone pause. But for members of the Des Moines Fire Department's Technical Rescue team, it's just another day of training to prepare for the rarest of rescue situations.

This week, all three shifts of Des Moines Fire Department's Technical Rescue Team gathered at Monarch Cement on Des Moines' south side to practice high angle rope rescues that are used to perform rescues of at high elevations or below structures like bridges and overpasses.

"These situations are low in frequency but high in risk," Des Moines Fire Department Captain Tad Stoner said. "Training like today prepares our team to be comfortable when we need to use these skills in an emergency and allows us to understand the challenges we'll face on the scene. Days like today help us know that we'll be ready to respond quickly and efficiently when someone is in a dangerous situation."

The technical rescue teams also perform confined space rescues, and trench rescues and are made up of firefighters from DMFD Station 4 and 7. The Technical Rescue team is one of the Des Moines Fire Department's three special operations team alongside the Water Emergency Team (WET) and the Hazardous Materials Team (Hazmat).

Applications are currently being accepted to join the Des Moines Fire Department as a firefighter. Learn more and apply at DSM.city/JoinDMFD.