ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Members from the Rochester Fire Department were shown the ropes in a class on how to perform a proper rope rescue Wednesday morning.
The formal state training program was held at the Mortimer Street Garage. This year, the Rochester Fire Department received a grant from the city to buy new equipment that helps firemen pull victims up fast by using a fulcrum. Rochester Fire Captain Ed Tracey says Wednesday's training would greatly increase the experience levels of the crews.
"This training's really important because it's taking them to a different level," said Tracey. "The level that everyone has been trained to in the past is working on a building, going straight up and down, packaging a victim. What we are doing here is training the guys what to do if somebody's hanging on the side of the building or is a worker that fell and is hanging on a safety rope. How do we get them off of that safety rope and safely to the ground or back up to the top of the building."
The rope rescue training classes continue through Thursday.