Tuesday was the final day of a week long technical rope rescue skills program for firefighters in Virginia. Fourteen firefighters across Virginia, Duluth and Superior participated in the training.
The training focused on simulating rescues in difficult to access areas such as smokestacks, mine pits and cliffs.
"Here in Virginia they've got the power plant, they've got mines, they've got a lot of elevated positions and they've got some outdoor areas that all take technical rope rescue skills if somebody were to get hurt," said Matt Trepczyk, a senior instructor with REACT (Regional Emergency All Climate Training Center).
The primary focus of the training was to teach firefighters the equipment, anchoring skills and rappelling.
"These skills are definitely finite in nature, where as if you don't use them you're going to become rusty and wont be as efficient or as professional [as a] team," said the Virginia Fire Department's Battalion Chief Erik Jonassen.