South Metro Firefighters Use Drone To Help In Underground Rescue Training

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - South Metro firefighters are working to improve their skills at saving lives -- namely rescuing people trapped in tight spaces underground.

On Monday firefighters had to practice saving a worker trapped and hurt in a well. They conducted the practice mission to hone their skills on rescuing trapped people using the latest in technology on the ground, and in the air.

On the ground firefighters worked to rescue an injured victim trapped 20 feet down a water well. A drone recorded the mission from high above.

"The scenario was he fall off, broke his pelvis," Cpt. Rob Hinsberg with South Metro Fire said.

They joined forces with Parker water workers as they're the ones who could possibly get hurt on the job.

"They have over 100 of these confined spaces that they need to enter," Hinsberg said.

Crews say confined spaces bring in new problems outside of regular injury, such as lack of oxygen.

"Confined spaces typically are atmospheric problems," Hinsberg said.

They are problems that fire crews have to look out for as well. Experts say about 60 percent of confined space deaths are the would-be rescuers themselves.

Crews mimicked a real rescue to analyze video from the scene in an effort to decrease the time victims and rescuers spend in dangerous areas -- and save lives.

"We want to be proficient at what we do, help the people as quickly as we can, and get them to help."

South Metro just got a drone this year. They will use it only for training purposes for now, but in the future it could be used to help in rescues and firefighting.