When an emergency calls for complex rescue techniques, it's the City of Madison Fire Department's Heavy Urban Rescue Team (HURT) that responds. To stay ready for a variety of events, the team trains regularly. The challenge is often to find a venue that will allow HURT team members to set up for realistic scenarios.

Today, the HURT team will be training at the Kohl Center on the UW-Madison Campus. Team members will be rappelling and practicing high ropes rescue within the arena. The training begins at 1:30. Rescue scenarios are expected to begin at 2:00 p.m.

The team is trained to respond to a variety of emergencies that include, but are not limited to:
• Confined space rescue
• High/low angle rope rescue
• Trench collapse rescue
• Building collapse rescue

The team will respond anywhere in Dane County for technical rescues, if requested. It is comprised of 76 members who have been trained to the technician level by completing the following hours of training:
• Ropes: 80 hrs
• Confined Space: 40 hrs.
• Trench: 48 hrs.
• Light Collapse: 40 hrs.
• Heavy Collapse: 40 hrs.