Monroe Fire Protection District firemen get technical rescue training

Monroe County, Indiana – Almost finished is the outside of an eight-story apartment complex geared for students on North Walnut Street, the site of the former Great Wall restaurant.

Firefighters from the Monroe Fire Protection District (MFPD) trained on the 137-foot tower crane at the building site late on Sunday morning and into the afternoon.

Chief of MFPD Dustin Dillard gave credit to battalion chief Danny Gillespie for organizing the logistics, and working with the crane operator to maximize the opportunity for situational training.

Firefighters practiced on Sunday in the event that the crane operator needed to be pulled from the cab over a hundred feet above the earth due to an incapacitating situation. However, Dillard noted that such methods might be used in situations requiring painting crews for water towers or maintenance teams for cell towers.

The B Square was informed by MFPD lieutenant Matt Fischer that the drill on Sunday was a necessary component of continuing training. The drill on Sunday is classified as a technical rescue.

Firefighters began their training on Sunday by going over a few protocols on the crane’s lower level. Later in the afternoon, they intended to ascend to the crane’s uppermost levels.

The student-focused apartment complex, HUB I, is now under construction. It was approved as a site plan by Bloomington’s plan commission more than a year ago, in April 2023.

With 19 studios, 5 one-bedroom units, 87 two-bedroom units, 14 three-bedroom units, 12 four-bedroom units, and 35 five-bedroom units, there will be a total of 463 bedrooms among the 172 apartments.

An additional feature of the project is the inclusion of 264 parking spots within the structure.