BOISE, Idaho — Boise Fire paired up with the Idaho National Guard to train for helicopter hoist rescues — as firefighters rappelled from a Black Hawk helicopter. Members from the Boise Fire Technical Rescue Team practiced ascending and descending with multiple people during the exercise.
"We are the only hoist-capable aircraft in the area... You know this year, like I’ve personally done two or three rescues," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Theron Cameron, who was piloting the Black Hawk helicopter during the training.
"If I can land then, I’m gonna land and, you know, help people out that way. And if I can’t do that, then I’m gonna try to hoist," says Cameron.
The hoist comes down from the helicopter and is used to insert rescuers into remote and possibly treacherous areas to help extract people who are injured or trapped.
"It’s basically simulating we had, like, a flood or something like that where we can’t land," said Cameron.
"We’re just running through kind of a mock mission," said Boise Fire Captain Mike Barbero.
Their Technical Rescue Team specializes in complex rescue operations that are outside of what standard firefighters can tackle.
They have 15 firefighters who are specially trained for the helicopter hoist — many of those are also trained in swift water, dive, and technical rescue operations.
"Our primary mission for the Guard and for the Fire Department is to provide service for the citizens, so this is just another tool in the toolbox. This is just something else that we can provide," said Barbero.
He says Boise is the hub for rescue resources in Idaho.
"We’re it when it comes to the surrounding communities, and we have the Fire Department here with technician-level trained water rescuers... and then we have the air assets with the National Guard with hoist capability, so if not us, then who?," added Barbero.
"I’ve been deployed to combat. I’ve done a lot of different things, but definitely the most rewarding thing is being able to go out and help people right here in your community," added Cameron.
