Fire departments from across the Valley gathered members from their technical rescue teams (TRT) at the Verde River on the morning of Tuesday, July 16, for an annual refresher training on swift water rescue operations.

Salt River Fire Department (SRFD) Station 293’s A-Shift crew members Captain Riley Murph, engineer Anthony Garcia, firefighter Lonnie Redhair and paramedic Michael Schrimsher attended the hands-on training to stay abreast of the latest techniques.

In the Valley, every Tuesday is designated as “TRT Tuesday.” On this particular Tuesday, the SRFD joined forces with the TRTs from the Casa Grande Fire Department, Chandler Fire Department and Mesa Fire/Medical for the exercise.

“It’s paramount that we train with other departments because most likely we will work together on a TRT event,” said SRFD spokesperson and firefighter (paramedic) Lee Grant.

The SRFD technical rescue team has been called out to the Verde River in the past to assist in rescue operations, so staying proficient at locations like this is a must.

The team consists of approximately 20 SRFD members who have completed a 200-hour training program that is taught by the Phoenix Fire Department. SRFD Captain Anthony Badalamenti said that all of its TRT members are highly trained in a wide variety of disciplines and can perform complex rescues including trench rescue, swift water rescue, high-angle rope rescue, structural collapse rescue, tree rescue and heavy lifting/advanced extrication.

“Our TRT is equipped with a wide array of tools to address the complexities of the rescue scenarios we prepare for,” said Badalamenti. “Our gear includes extrication devices, commonly known as the Jaws of Life, for cutting and prying; rope systems for high-angle rescues; and various cutting and breaking tools like core drills, jackhammers and acetylene torches for structural collapses.”

He continued, “We also utilize an inflatable raft for swift water rescues and pneumatic shoring struts to stabilize collapsed trenches and buildings. Additionally, we are equipped with communication and breathing apparatuses for entering confined spaces, along with air-monitoring devices to detect any toxic gases or oxygen deficiencies.” The complete set of equipment necessary for a TRT response is stored on SRFD’s TRT Apparatus, Squad 293, which is operated by the crew from Fire Station 293 by Talking Stick Resort.