Chesterfield County firefighters will simulate freeing a trapped driver by rappelling from an exit ramp

By Thad Green
Richmond Times-Dispatch

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Chesterfield Fire and EMS will perform training on the Pocahontas Parkway bridge from Wednesday through Friday, simulating the rescue of a trapped driver.

Firefighters from the department’s technical rescue team will rappel off the side of a closed exit ramp that runs from Pocahontas Parkway to Interstate 95 South.

The eastbound shoulder of the bridge will be closed during the training exercise. The Virginia Department of Transportation will have signs in the area alerting drivers to the training.

The training was inspired by the May 28 crash on the Varina-Enon Bridge that left the cab of a tractor-trailer dangling over the side of the bridge.

While this week’s training will simulate a vehicle hanging off the bridge, no actual car will be used. However, it will allow technical rescue team members to practice their specialized skills in high-rise rescues.

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