PORT HADLOCK — High angle rescue training on Naval Magazine Indian Island’s “Big Blue” was a dizzying experience last week for civilian rescue personnel from a dozen fire departments in Jefferson, Clallam and Kitsap counties.
The training on the Naval Magazine Indian Island’s largest crane, which stands about 320 feet tall when its boom is in the highest position, was led by the Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services firefighters Thursday.
“Working with Navy Region Northwest on one of the largest cranes in the region gives us an opportunity to challenge our nerves,” said Lt. Dag Liljequist of Bainbridge Island Fire Department.
“The extra element of height is great, and it’s awesome to come out and train with these federal guys.”
The high angle rescue training consisted of rigging multiple lines to raise and lower personnel and a mock victim inside a basket more than 150 feet.
The training is conducted once a year, but this was the first time the Navy invited civilian fire and rescue personnel making up the Homeland Security Region 2 Technical Rescue Team to participate.
“[Big Blue] presents many unique rescue challenges,” said Eric Wentworth, Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services Battalion 2 assistant chief.
“With the height and configuration of the crane, if anyone experiences a medical condition and can’t extricate themselves down to the ground to get help, we’ll have to lower the patient down manually using ropes,” he said.
Wentworth said that Naval Magazine Indian Island has only four rescue personnel on the base, so a mutual aid situation will happen if anyone is ever stuck in the crane.
“Through our mutual aid agreement, Station 91 at Indian Island is called out into the county at least once a week, and we have gladly responded to several on-base calls when the Navy needed additional assistance,” said East Jefferson Fire Rescue spokesman Bill Beezley.
The training provided on the crane also could be used in other vertical rescue scenarios, Wentworth said.
Navy Region Northwest Fire and Emergency Services includes personnel stationed at bases at Naval Magazine Indian Island, Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Naval Station Everett.
Last fiscal year, personnel received more than 3,400 calls for fire and rescue services spread out among all four Navy installations.
Nearly a quarter of those calls were for requests for services in areas outside of the bases’ property lines.