‘Truly backbreaking work.’ Firefighters train for rescues in collapsed buildings.

More than 30 local firefighters completed training Thursday to become specialized in search and rescue training if a building were to collapse.

The Lexington Fire Department only offers the course every two or three years, but recent events in Cincinnati showed how important having structural collapse specialists on fire departments is. One worker was killed earlier this month and four others were injured when a Turner Construction project site collapsed in downtown Cincinnati, according to the Associated Press.

Firefighters in fire departments for Lexington, Georgetown, Ashland, Nicholasville, Richmond, Wilmore and Jessamine County are now specialized for structural collapses should a similar event occur in their area.

Each student had to do eight hours of computer training and 240 hours of rescue training to qualify for the urban search and rescue training, which took part over an eight-day, 80-hour period. It ended with a simulated explosion and collapse, with the students working together to complete the exercise.

Lexington Fire Department Capt. Ryan Hogsten said the training requires “a lot of backbreaking work.” Through the 80 hours, participants learn to use cranes and large equipment to break through material such as concrete, wood or brick.

At times, they were lifting or breaking apart material that can weight up to 5,000 pounds, Hogsten said.

The training allowed each participant to help in structural collapses in Kentucky and nationwide. They can also assist on natural disasters such as tornadoes and mudslides.

The grueling course does leave a mental strain, Hogsten said, but that’s all part of preparing them for real-life situations.

“We try to recreate the best we can on something that would happen if we’re going to an incident wherever it may be,” he said.