In a matter of 33 hours, members of the Charleston Fire Department worked alongside members of nine other departments to rescue 115 victims from tornado-related damage zones.

These 33 hours were part of a validation process the state requires fire and rescue departments to complete every three to five years, said assistant Fire Chief Pat Goodwin.

The drill began in Champaign at 5 a.m. on Thursday, June 8, with the 10 departments arriving periodically. The Charleston department arrived on scene at 8 a.m. Upon arrival, the firefighters went through a medical examination.

After medical evaluations, the team had to set up their base of operations. The team was responsible for providing their own food, water and shelter, said Tim Meister, firefighter/paramedic and participant of the drill.

“We had to be totally self-sufficient for the first 24 hours,” he said.

After having a base of operations set up and tools staged, the team was assigned their first rescue task.

For their first rescue task, the team had received reports that between 12-14 people were trapped inside a two-story collapsed house with a leaning wall. Before entry would even be possible, the team had to stabilize the wall.

After completing their first task in three hours, the group had 45 minutes to regroup their tools and rehydrate themselves before starting their next task.

The second rescue task involved a collapsed concrete pile with various vehicles, including an airplane, trapped inside. The team had to cut through the concrete, climb through the pile and rescue victims.

The second task took the team between four and five hours to complete. As the drill ended at approximately 8 p.m., the team had 50 minutes to re-prepare their tools and to eat a meal. By 9 p.m., they were back at work on the next rescue task.

The team’s third rescue task also involved a collapsed pile; however, this pile was a lightweight collapse pile consisting of materials such as wood and light steel. The team had to complete a 50-foot horizontal entry into the tunnel and rescue three victims.

This task was difficult because the limited space made it difficult to bring tools and supplies into the tunnel, said Goodwin.

“The guys had trouble turning over in there it was so tight,” he said.

Upon completion of this drill, the team returned to their base of operations to shower, rehydrate and attempt to sleep before their final drill began in the morning.

The final task of the drill involved a four-story building with a collapsed first floor. Three victims were trapped in the basement, so the team had to work to ventilate the area because of lack of oxygen. The only way firefighters could enter the building was through the fourth floor.

According to Goodwin, the team was going to finish the final drill fast because of their levels proficiency so more challenges kept getting added.

The drill was completed early in the afternoon of Friday, June 9.

Prior to actually going through the validation drill, the firefighters had spent the past three years training in classes to prepare for situations such as this, Goodwin said.

“It was nice to be able to use the skills we’ve been learning for the past three years,” Meister said.

“It was nice to see all the training we have completed over the years come to work,” Goodwin said.

Goodwin and Meister both agree that the training proved that the members of the department are capable of handling any similar situation.

“Now we know how to act and what we’re expected to do in this situation,” said Meister.

“If something happened in Charleston, Coles County or the state,” said Goodwin, “I don’t think we’d have a problem handling the situation.”

Mayor John Inyart and city manager Scott Smith visited the scene of the training, and they shared Goodwin’s feelings.

“We are extremely proud of their efforts and pleased to have the team right here in Charleston,” said Inyart. “They are available to help not only our residents but also the residents of the other 14 counties around us they serve.”

The department was able to use the Polaris Ranger that had been donated to them earlier this year through a grant from U.S. Smokeless Tobacco during the validation drill. The vehicle also served beneficial for the other departments participating in the drill.

“There were some teams that used wheelbarrows [to transport tools] so we were able to help them out,” said Meister.

Inyart was impressed with the cooperation of the different departments all working together.

“Seeing our team participate with other teams from all over was most impressive,” he said. “Knowing that as many of these teams as we need would be able to respond to an emergency in Coles County certainly gives me a good feeling.”

Inyart was also impressed with the work that the department put into the training before the actual validation drill.

“Our department has completed this entire process on their own, from securing the grants for equipment and overtime expenses to the hundreds of training hours that have been spent,” he said.

Goodwin said that he is 99.9 percent positive that the department will receive their validation after the drill. An official notice will be received in approximately one month, he said.

“The guys did fantastic, and I’m proud of them,” Goodwin said. “I’m not afraid to say these are some of the best guys in the state.”