Nebraska Task Force 1 trains for structural collapses in Lincoln
Nebraska Task Force 1 runs structural collapse search and rescue drills in Lincoln, days after apartment building collapses in Iowa.
Nebraska Task Force 1 runs structural collapse search and rescue drills in Lincoln, days after apartment building collapses in Iowa.
Nebraska Task Force 1 runs structural collapse search and rescue drills in Lincoln, days after apartment building collapses in Iowa.
A reddish-brown dog runs up a mound of rubble, sniffing as it moves swiftly around. Within seconds, it is barking. That may well be a life-saving sound.
"Just in a few seconds, Dodger was able to find the person in this large rubble area," said Nebraska Task Force 1's Andrew Pitcher.
The large rubble area is not a war zone or earthquake damage, but a carefully constructed set in Lincoln, which is ground zero for Nebraska Task Force 1 search and rescue training.
"We've always been ready,” said NE-TF1 Training Manager Ashley Engler. “In any time that we've ever been asked to do something, we'll go and we make sure that we're ready to go. That's part of the training."
Fifteen new rescuers are completing 80 hours of heavy-duty FEMA-sanctioned training, alongside members of Lincoln, Omaha, Papillion, Council Bluffs and Grand Island fire crews.
Friday’s exercise has been in the works for nearly two years. The apartment building collapse in Davenport, Iowa, the same week elevates the importance of the training, according to Omaha’s fire chief.
"The collapse in Davenport really brings to light the significance of this training,” said Omaha fire Chief Kathy Bossman. “And we, as a city in Omaha, benefit from having our firefighters trained to this level."
While this skill set is transferable to house fire collapses, Bossman said the training also teaches a new mindset.
“You have to be thinking larger scale, longer term. That type of rescue operation is not going to be completed in a few hours. We're talking days to weeks," Bossman said.