Bend Fire & Rescue Trench Rescue Training

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend Fire and Rescue conducted a unique training exercise this Tuesday: a simulated trench rescue. The training exercise took place at a Taylor Northwest job site to prepare for real-world emergencies.

The exercise simulated a worker, trapped under a concrete slab in a narrow trench. The worker was a dummy, but the exercise allowed crews to practice specialized rescue techniques and equipment they rarely use.

The training simulation took approximately 40 minutes to successfully rescue the trapped dummy. Crews used wooden shoring and air-pressurized bars to stabilize the trench walls. After everything was safe, the rescuers carefully leveraged the concrete off the simulated victim and moved the dummy to safety.

Brian Boyd, a Battalion Chief with Bend Fire and Rescue, explained that this specific training is incredibly valuable, and they carefully choose the exercises they simulate. "But we have a number of disciplines that we have to cover, so we really only get two days a year to to train on this," Boyd said. "So, it's just reviewing the process, identifying those efficiencies that can help make up time where there's opportunities."

Officials anticipate a rise in trench rescue calls or similar incidents, due to the constant construction and development in Central Oregon.