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Area
Firefighters Descend on Campus
The Smith parking garage on
West Street stood in for a new purpose last week when western
Massachusetts firefighters rappelled down its exterior walls
in a training exercise. The rappel training is part of the
preparation of a new unit, the Regional Western Massachusetts
Technical Rescue Team, which is composed of firefighters
from Hampshire, Franklin, Berkshire and Hampden counties,
explained Daryl Springman, a Northampton firefighter and
assistant team leader for the local division.
The team members
will be specially qualified to conduct rescue operations
at high altitudes and angles, or pulling someone out of a
confined space, for example, Springman said. The campus parking
facility provided an ideal training structure with
its concrete walls, open spaces and central location. “It’s
great to be able to have access to a facility like that,” said
Springman. “Smith
College has been great.”
The May 29 training involved
team instructors. A larger contingent of team members will
return to campus on Wednesday, June 5, for another round
of rappel training.
Click on image for an enlarged view.
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