FORT GREELY, Alaska -- U.S. Army Garrison Alaska, Fort Greely Fire and Emergency Services certified 33 employees to serve as team members qualified to provide rescue assistance in a confined space rescue environment Oct. 16 after completing a three week, agency mandated, training course given at the Fort Greely Fire Department.

Instructors traveled from the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute at the University of Maryland to teach the course.

The training course satisfied all prerequisite knowledge, skills and objectives to safely execute technical rescue operations in a confined space, above or below ground. The course included identifying, assessing and mitigating confined space hazards and then safely accessing and rescuing trapped victims.

Fort Greely Fire Department Chief Jesse Halterman is proud of his entire team for completing such a strenuous training while still being prepared for real life emergency responses.

“It is imperative that our emergency personnel are qualified to respond to risks on and off post that could possibly include rescue from confined spaces or collapsed infrastructure,” said Halterman.

The Fort Greely Fire Department maintains Mutual Aid Agreements with the Missile Defense Agency and communities along the Richardson and Alaska highway.

“The Fort Greely Fire and Emergency Services is a part of Delta Junction, and Delta Junction is a part of Fort Greely,” said Halterman. “We not only want to provide emergency rescue assistance on our installation, but for our community partners as well.”

Taking care of our community is a garrison priority.

“I am proud of our emergency response personnel and the relationships they have developed with our community partners,” said Lt. Col. Joel Johnson, garrison commander.

Fort Greely serves as the home for the nation’s Ground Based Midcourse Defense anti-ballistic missile system and is located about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. It is also the home of the Cold Regions Test Center. It is named in honor of Major General Adolphus Greely.