Technical Rescue Tower completed Published June 16, 2010 By Christopher Howe Base Civil Engineer Office DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Construction of the new Technical Rescue Tower is complete on Dobbins ARB. The metal and concrete structure will be used by the Dobbins Fire & Emergency Services emergency responders as well as area fire departments for technical rescue training. The tower consists of a tall metal frame with 30- and 40-foot landings, a 40-foot rappelling wall and pipe system. The design has plastic and concrete pipe which represents a sewer system under ground, but it is constructed above ground for ease of access during training. The first platform provides the first entry point into a vertical pipe shaft of approximately 48 inches wide and leads to a sewer vault and to progressively-smaller concrete sewer pipes. The pipes are technically challenging as they are narrow and restricted. A rappelling wall begins at the 40-foot platform and has a recycled rubber landing pad at its base to reduce the impact to the rappeller's ankles. The wall was tested by Dobbins Fire and Emergency Services certified rescue technicians. The cost of the tower was $75,000. The tower was originally designed by Capt. Robert Burgard of Dobbins Fire and Emergency Services and was constructed by Saber Contactor of Midway, Ga. The Dobbins project team consisted of engineers Bijan Raouf, Don Stamps, engineer technician Christopher Howe and base fire chiefs John Hicks and James Kula.
