Warren Co. Rescue Team Approved For Water Tower Training

The Warren County Rope and Technical Rescue Team has been approved to use the McMinnville Water Tower for training.

Rope Access Technician Travis Young said members want to practice high elevation maneuvers in the event of a tower rescue.

“We try to do rescue plans for the common spots in our area,” Young said. When you have a rescue plan you can act quicker and know what you need. So, we have not got a rescue plan on a tower in case someone decides entertaining going up there and getting stuck.”

Young said the crew will jointly train with the McMinnville Fire Department. Young said they are waiting for the city attorney to complete the liability paperwork before setting a training date.

“Doing a tower rescue is different than doing like a cliff side rescue per say,” Young said. “A tower rescue you do have to fend the mounted ladder with a rescue cable that you clip into for a lifeline. There’s different ways that you go about rescuing off a tower.”

Young said training will focus on ladder, roping and vectoring skills through emergency scenarios. Young said tower rescues are not common in Warren County, but it is important to be a well-rounded squad.

“I think it is a good thing to cover our bases and brush up on some ladder climbing skills for that tall of a tower,” Young said. “And, vectoring people out away from the tower when we lower them down.”

The Rope and Technical Rescue Team has six members and was formed about five years ago.