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Grand Rapids firefighters take training to new heights

Posted at 10:55 PM, Aug 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-07 23:40:17-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Working in a growing city means new responsibilities for many of our first responders and it requires a bird's eye view to get it done.

Grand Rapids firefighters are going to new heights to conduct high-risk rescue training sessions high above the city.

Our FOX 17 crew tagged along for a session that involved a 160 foot climb to the top of a construction crane without a harness. It's a situation the firefighters must train for in the event that someone experiences some sort of medical emergency while working high up on the cranes.

"With all the building going on downtown, we are probably going to see two or more of these cranes pop up here within the next years,"  said Collin Kelly, acting battalion chief for GRFD. "It raises the probability that an incident like this could happen."

Pioneer, which owns the construction crane, offered to let GRFD use it for training.

"It makes perfect sense for us because its our guys in harm's way," said Scott Veine with Pioneer. "When the first responders are here we want to make sure they are ready to go too."

With future Pioneer projects requiring even taller cranes, the training will prove useful.

"If we practice and do it enough with the hands on training... when an actual incident occurs, it comes second nature to us," Kelly said.