Firefighters practice high-angle rescues
When lives are on the line, the Colorado Springs Fire Department is ready to respond, even on the edge of a mountain.
The high-angle team practiced rescue missions at Garden of the Gods on Monday.
Crews repelled down steep cliffs to perfect their craft.
“We want to prepare ahead of time so we have the highest success rate,” Lt. William Miller said.
The team had to practice rescue missions in strong wind conditions.
“You never get to choose the environment when you’re going to have your rescues,” Lt. Don Rickert said. “You want to try to practice these things before you get into the situation where you have the stress of having the rescue involved.”
The crew responds to a lot of rescue calls for stranded climbers who got stuck on their way down.
“It’s easy to get to a lot of places. It’s always easier to climb uphill then it is downhill,” Miller said.
Climbing at Garden of the Gods is allowed. Climbers must first register at the visitor and nature center. Unregistered climbers, or those without proper equipment, could face up to a $500 fine.
