A select group of Murray firefighters will undergo an elite training course next month to help rescue professionals respond to damaged buildings and disaster scenarios.
Last month, the Murray City Council approved a submitted bid by Spec Rescue Inc. of Virginia Beach, VA to train city firefighters at $1,250 each.
Murray Fire Chief Eric Pologruto says the department formed its own Special Operations Team two years ago, and that the 13 firefighters selected are the first class to undergo a range of specialized training including a structural collapse technician course.
“Of course, that type of specialized training can help us with the building collapses that we experienced here in the past year or so, it’s also a bit more widespread especially with Murray’s proximity to the New Madrid Seismic Zone as well as the potential for strong tornadoes," said Pologruto. "We want to make sure that our guys at the Murray Fire Department know how to respond to those types of problems.”
Pologruto says the group has already completed rope and confined space courses and will also take on trench rescue and hazardous material training.
Once completed, Pologruto hopes to turn the group into a regional Spec Ops Rescue Team as the closest teams with similar training are in Nashville, Memphis and Louisville.
Pologruto says he’s invited other regional fire departments to join in on the training and share the cost of the structural collapse technician course.
The firefighters will undergo the structural collapse course in Murray October 28th to November 4th.