911th stresses safety first

Practice makes perfect and makes the prepared proficient.

That defines the 911th Technical Rescue Engineers who are well on their way to proficient, having spent the last week honing skills in case they are called upon for emergency services, for the upcoming presidential Inauguration events.

Working in the cold air on the site of the former Lorton juvenile detention facilities, the Soldiers faced a difficult scenario while they shored a practice building designed by Fairfax County Fire Department to simulate a partially collapsed and compromised structure with sloped floors that moved and sheared walls.

They could see their breath as they hustled about measuring, cutting, relaying, building and shoring. They had to figure out a way to "capture" the structure in place so that entry could be made to save victims without structural collapse. And they had to do it quickly.

"The challenge is that most rescue workers want to rush into the situation to rescue victims without first assessing the stability and dangers," stated 1st Lt. Al LeCounte, engineer platoon leader. This training taught the crew of 17 Soldiers to take the time and make it safe for not only themselves but their partners as well.

The training was integral to almost 40 percent of the Soldiers who were new to the unit who were teamed with the more experienced crew in order to be familiar with setting up equipment and for the process to run smoothly.

"No one person can do all of this alone," said team leader Sgt. Sean White as he referenced the seven different area that were shored. "We use this training to build camaraderie, teamwork, trust and pride. We want to learn as much as possible so we can face any obstacles in a manner with safety in mind," he said.

Another crew of 911th Soldiers worked with 12th Aviation on Black Hawk helicopter sling load training at Davison Army Airfield. The training practiced equipment cargo hook lifts critical to the 911th Technical Rescue Engineers mission.