The following press release and photos were sent to The Bloomingtonian Saturday:
“Two Local Firefighters Train with Military and Israeli Group in
Urban Search and Rescue Operations
Firefighter Nick Powell and Deputy Chief Steve Coover spent time this week completing, and teaching Urban Search and Rescue training at Camp Atterbury. National Guard units from Indiana, Illinois, New York, and West Virginia, along with Indiana Task Force One, Concord Township FD, and Israeli Defense Force Home Front Command participated in the three-day training. Training focused on providing emergency medical care, evacuation, and rescue efforts in the event of a structural collapse, natural disaster, and other types of emergencies that first responders might be called to handle.
Firefighter Powell, who is also a certified paramedic, was a student for the training class. During the hands-on training scenarios, Firefighter Powell was able to practice a vast range of medical skills. Utilizing the training grounds at Camp Atterbury instructors placed patients in simulated locations like mine shafts, construction pipes, and demolished buildings. The students had to figure out how to provide medical care for the patient and remove them from the rubble.
Chief Coover, was one of seven instructors teaching the class and was the only American instructor picked for the panel. Chief Coover was able to compare ideas and practices to our foreign counterparts and learn various ways we can improve on our search and rescue abilities for the future. He was also honored with meeting Major General Ori Gordin the new Commanding General of the Israeli Defense Force Home Front Command.
We look forward to seeing what these two have learned from this valuable training, and how we can use it to be better prepared to serve our community in case of future emergencies.
-END-“
