An AirCare air ambulance pictured near a Vienna Wind Farm turbine southwest of Gladbrook on Aug. 7 as part of a safety training conducted by Mortenson Wind Energy and MidAmerican Energy in cooperation with Gladbrook Fire and Rescue, Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance, and Tama County 911. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

GLADBROOK – A ‘wind-win’ situation played out recently for some local first responders.

With the Vienna Wind Farm repowering (upgrading) project underway in Tama County, first responders from the Gladbrook and Lincoln areas participated last month in a safety training designed to simulate a wind turbine accident.

“This training was organized to test all systems and procedures in the event of an actual emergency,” Criag Sash, lieutenant and training officer for Gladbrook Fire and Rescue told the newspaper in a recent email. “Real life simulations are excellent training [and] learning opportunities that allow all responders to participate in near-actual situations.”

The Aug. 7 training took place at a Vienna wind turbine located approximately three miles southwest of Gladbrook. At the time, the turbine was not in operation due to the repowering project. The training simulated a sick or injured person in a wind turbine.

“Trained wind company crews were in charge of getting [the] victim from top of turbine to base of turbine,” Sash explained, “[while] emergency services then took care of transport, landing zone securement, and patient transfer to air care.”

First responders from Gladbrook Fire and Rescue pictured during an Aug. 7 safety training that took place at a Vienna Wind Farm turbine near Gladbrook. The training simulated a sick or injured person in a wind turbine. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Those involved in the training included Gladbrook Fire and Rescue, Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance, Tama County 911, the University of Iowa’s Air and Mobile Critical Care Service (AirCare), Mortenson Wind Energy, and MidAmerican Energy.

While MidAmerican is Vienna Wind Farm’s operator, Mortenson was part of the project’s initial development over a decade ago and is currently working on the repower.

Roughly 30 of the Vienna Wind Farm turbines are located in Gladbrook Fire and Rescue’s territory. To Sash’s knowledge, no similar training has taken place previously in Tama County as it is not required.

“To my knowledge there is no Iowa or county code to require this training, however it is necessary for [Mortenson] to train for an event such as this and, fortunately for us, it worked out they were here and we could train with them.”

Sash said the training went off without a hitch, leading to an “excellent event response.”

Firefighters with Gladbrook Fire and Rescue help transport an ‘injured patient’ down from a Vienna Wind Farm turbine on Aug. 7 as part of a safety training which simulated an individual falling into a turbine. The Vienna Wind Farm, located near Gladbrook in Tama County, is currently undergoing a repowering project by Mortenson Wind Energy. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

With the possibility on the horizon of more turbines being constructed in Tama County as part of Conifer Power’s Salt Creek Wind project currently in development, Sash said any future training would likely need to involve additional departments.

“[S]ince Salt Creek will span multiple territories [including Gladbrook, Garwin, Traer, and Toledo], I can see the need for more/joint training to occur.”

As part of his comments to the newspaper, Sash also addressed the need for EMS volunteers across Tama County.

“[A]ll departments/agencies have a shortage of volunteers and we all have mutual aid agreements in place and currently all work together. … We are all hurting for volunteers.”

Those interested in volunteering as a first responder, are urged to contact their local EMS department using the following information:

-Clutier Fire Department/First Responders: Director Sharon Knoop at 319-479-2530

-Dysart Ambulance: Director Julie Scadden at 319-476-4911

-Elberon Fire and Rescue/EMS: Director Alicia Lidtke (no phone number available)

-Garwin Ambulance: Call 641-499-2307

-Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance: Director Kern Kemp at 641-473-2281

-Montour Fire & EMS: EMS Chief Mike Buchanan at 641-492-6420

-Tama Ambulance: EMS Administrator Jimmy Hicklin at 641-484-2425

-Toledo Fire Rescue & EMS: Director Greg Johnson at 641-484-3580

-Traer Ambulance: Director Shaun Kennedy at 319-478-2084