Crews with the Ottumwa Fire Department (OFD) were seen conducting high-angle rope training on Second Street Wednesday afternoon, as part of an ongoing effort to enhance the department’s technical rescue capabilities.
The training was made possible through recent grant funding, which enabled OFD to bring specialized instruction to its firefighters.
OFD has also formalized a new technical rescue team, made up of 11 members from the department. According to OFD officials, the team has been engaged in intensive training sessions throughout the week, with exercises scheduled to continue through Thursday.
The initiative underscores the department’s commitment to expanding its emergency response readiness for complex rescue situations.
