The Tucson Fire Department chief knows the challenge of a condominium collapse – Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona (KGUN) – Tucson fire chiefs are familiar with the challenges they face when disposing of the rubble of a Florida condo. Chief Chuck Ryan served a structural rescue team searching for dangerous rescues around the world.

Moving debris in a condominium collapse requires great care and understanding of the specific technique of building collapse. Moving the wrong part can lead to another collapse and the rescuer can become a victim.

Chuck Ryan, chief of the Tucson Fire Department, said: These USAR urban search and rescue teams include construction experts, civil engineers traveling with them, and firefighters who are rescuers trained in the collapse and depression of technical rescue structures. “

Secretary of State Ryan has led a team committed to saving lives in disasters such as South Florida.

He served as Assistant Chief Fire Rescue in Fairfax County, Virginia. Because there are rescue teams in this department, the veteran FEMA and the US State Department have called them on more than 100 incidents across the country and around the world.

Even in the dangerous world of fire fighting, entering a collapsed building is a particular danger.

“Part of our job as firefighters is search and rescue, and this collapse and rescue in confined spaces is certainly not for everyone, but it is one of the things firefighters do,” said Ryan. “.

And he says Tucson firefighters are being prepared for a challenging rescue.

“Tucson Fire has technical rescue training and equipment from most fire departments in southern Arizona, including structural break-ins, depression, pit rescue, high angle rescue, and palm rescue to rescue window washers from buildings. I’m responsible for providing training and support, so I have in-house technical rescue capabilities, but I’m not sure how big the FEMA accredited team will be. “

In cases like the Florida collapse, time reduces the chances of survival, but Ryan says the reinforced concrete used in condominiums opens up a small place for someone to live compared to other structures. Says you can be strong enough

“Aside from this pancake-style breakdown, they tend to create larger cavities and provide survival potential for captured victims. The pancake breakdown clearly shows what it’s like. What you hear is that things like this reduce the likelihood of these white spaces, but they are easy. Reinforced concrete, wood and sun-dried brick structures collapse completely when they collapse, and in fact these are unreinforced and the structure’s survival rate is much lower. “

Tucson Fire Chief Knows the Challenge of Condominium Collapse Source link The Tucson Fire Chief knows the challenge of condominium collapse