Structural Collapse Training

The Chattanooga Fire Department hosted an 80-hour Structural Collapse Specialist Class with members of different agencies as part of our Urban Search & Rescue regional response. The students learned rescue techniques, such as building shoring and concrete breaching and breaking as tools to respond to structural collapse. Several locations were used for drills including our training center, the Volunteer Army Ammunitions Plant and the former Sky Zoo property. This group will move into the next USAR discipline which is trench rescue. They’ve already completed technical rope rescue training. Chattanooga Fire, Chattanooga Police, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Fire and the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management are participating in these in-depth, hands-on courses.