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Exclusive Photo Gallery: 17 Story Drop; Rappelling Off The Top Of The Wind Creek Casino
November 17, 2009
The old saying says the first step is the hardest. When that first step takes you from the roof over the edge of a 17 story building, most people would tend to agree.
Monday afternoon, members of the Poarch Creek Fire Department practicing rappelling down the side of the Wind Creek Casino –part of high rise rescue training and certification for department members.
“It was fun; there was definitely an adrenaline rush,” Poarch Creek fireman Andy Hammonds said after his 17-story descent. “It wasn’t too bad.”
Only three of the fire department’s members were certified in high angle rope rescues prior to Monday, including Chris McGhee, the Poarch Creek Fire Department’s training officer. With classroom training from the Alabama Fire College and the 17 story trip, another 14 men worked toward their certification Monday for whatever emergency that might arise in future.
“They are about to hire window washers; there’s a lot of glass in the building,” McGhee told NorthEscambia.com while standing on the roof of the casino Monday afternoon. “We might have to rescue one of the window washers one day.”
McGhee said that they Poarch Creek Fire Department would be able to put their training to use if the need arises in any surrounding area, including North Escambia.
The process of rappelling down the from the roof of the Atmore casino looks rather simple. Two ropes are tied off. One serves as a safety; one is the main rope for rappelling. The main rope passes through a rappelling rack, a device that provides friction to stop or allow a controlled descent. The safety rope is fed down with the firefighter. If he should fall or descend two quickly, a couple of knots provide a quick and automatic stop.
Once fitted with the proper gear, the trip down the side the Wind Creek was as simple as getting the courage to stand on the small ledge at the top of the building and stepping backwards.
For an exclusive NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the training click here. In the photo gallery, we take you to the roof the 17 story Wind Creek. We watch as firemen prepare to rappel off the building; we look over the edge as the they head down. Plus, we take a look at the scenery from the top of the Wind Creek Casino, and look back up as the firemen descend.
Pictured above and below: Firefighters practice rappelling from the roof of the 17 story Wind Creek Casino Monday afternoon. In the lower inset photo above, notice the firefighter heading down the side of the Wind Creek. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
6 Responses to “Exclusive Photo Gallery: 17 Story Drop; Rappelling Off The Top Of The Wind Creek Casino”
Wow! William I get the impression you are a good person overall, and I know I appreciate your work keeping us up to date… but good gravy man! I Have to question your sanity! LOL
Awesome photos!
Boy! Just getting on the roof would have put me in the snake position. I would have had to slink back down to the elevator.
Great photos William, beautiful.
Thank you again for taking me where I have never been and where I will never go. Gee it’s was fun. I smiled all the way there and all the way back.
Makes my legs all tingly just reading about it and seeing the pictures on the story page. YIKEA!!! Yes William. Please be careful. I wish you wouldn’t do that.
Wow! Amazing photos.
I looked a little harder at the pictures. My goodness William — you leaning too far over the edge!!! Be careful, we don’t want to loose you!
Yikes! My stomach churns and I get weak in the knees looking at the photos.
You’ll do anything for a story, won’t you William? Braver than me!
Make sure you look at the whole photo gallery. The pictures looking around from the top of the casino are way cool. How do they line those plants up like that?