A team of firefighters from Kaohsiung have a very unusual specialism. The Kaohsiung Rope Rescue Team are the world champions in emergency rescue on ropes. In 2019 they won the world cup, and next month they’re off to France to compete again. Rope rescue is an important specialty for firefighters. It can save time, and save lives, during emergencies in tall buildings.
A firefighter fixes his ropes, attaches the rescue equipment, and slowly descends the side of a building.
The team are simulating a rescue mission, using a hanging stretcher to rescue a casualty.
The Kaohsiung Rope Rescue Team are composed of Kaohsiung City firefighters who can be seen at many difficult rescue scenes. In May, the team will travel to France to compete in the “Olympics of Rope Rescue.”
Kung Chui-hsiang
Kaohsiung Rope Rescue Team head
We won the world cup in 2019. The contestants have been competing for all these years and they have a lot of experience, but inevitably their physical stamina is on the decline. So basically, what we need to work on most is constantly maintaining our physical condition.
The team first took part in the contest in 2018, winning the “Best Newcomers” medal that year. In 2019, they won the world cup. But the competition has been suspended for three years due to the pandemic. Their goal this year is to defend the world title.
Kung Chui-hsiang
Kaohsiung Rope Rescue Team head
The hardest thing is they don’t announce any of the tasks in advance. So you only know what you’ll be doing in the tasks five minutes beforehand. The organizer tells you what type of rescue to complete. So we have to adapt spontaneously to the task.
The team has a lot of real-life emergency experience, as well as regular group practice to build trust. The competition is a chance to meet peers from around the world, but also just another day to practice the skills that could save someone’s life.
12 окт 2024
