The Escambia County Fire Rescue special operations team was requested by Baldwin County at approximately 12:24 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 to assist with a technical rescue for three people on a tower site, located in the Elsanor, Alabama, community on Channel 44 Road.
The tower is reported to be 2,000 feet tall and one victim was approximately 1,900 feet up.
The ECFR special operations team assisted a rescue team from the Foley Department and other Baldwin County fire units in removing a victim from the tower site. The Mobile Fire Department was also on scene standing by to assist.
Using a basket that is run with a cable system to carry workers, the recovery process started at 2:24 p.m. and the victim was on the ground at 3:12 p.m.
"This is a regional asset consisting of crew members who have received numerous hours of additional training in special operations such as high angle rescue’s like today, building collapse, trench rescues and heavy extrications from vehicles or machinery," said interim Fire Chief Paul Williams. "The crews keep their skills sharp by training weekly and keeping the special rescue equipment they use ready."
If the media is interested in a technical rescue demonstration, please contact [email protected] to setup a day and time. The Public Information Officer for the tower event in Alabama can be reached at 251-459-4643. Additional photos can be viewed on the ECFR Facebook page.
