FEMA USAR Structural Collapse Technician

Apex FD sponsored the FEMA USAR Structural Collapse Technician training at Station 2 over the course of two weekends in October. Instructors Scott McCaskill and Doug Lowe (Rescue Tec) and Tom Billig (Charlotte FD, Troutman FD) headed up the class with 35 participants from Apex FD, NC CERT, Troutman FD, Wilmington FD, Pender Rescue, Conover FD, Swift Creek FD, the REDS Team, Pilot FD, and Greensboro FD.
The first weekend we learned all about shoring. After a day and a half of lectures, we got to put our new-found knowledge to work in the practial stations where we built several types of shores from scratch.

The second weekend was all about concrete - drilling, breaching and breaking, lifting, moving, etc. We also played with cribbing and air bags, as well as several kinds of torches. Carolina Crane brought out one of their rigs and we got a quick introduction to crane operations.

The last day of class we split up into groups and spent the entire day working on practical scenarios exercising all of the skills we'd learned during the two weekends.

This class would not have been possible without the generosity and participation of several local businesses. We would like to thank the following:

Concrete Donations: Stay Right Pre-Cast; Mangum Construction; Harrelson Utilities; Hoar Construction

Lumber Donations: Stock Builders; Guy C Lee

And, saving the best for last - MANY THANKS to Pat Foster and Sheila Haraway for all of their hard work providing lunches, snacks and refreshments throughout both weekends of training! Check out THIS spread we were treated to on the last day of class!

Click the links below to view photos from both weekends. Thanks to Cristall McCaskill who provided many of the pictures.

Shoring
Concrete Breaching and Breaking
Cutting Torches
Hydraulic Cutting Tools
Cribbing And Airbags
Crane Operations
Heavy Lifting & Moving11/22/04
Rescue Scenario11/23/04