Baltimore Key bridge collapse; Milwaukee fire crews reflect
MILWAUKEE - The six missing construction workers who were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore when it collapsed are now presumed dead.
The bridge collapsed after one of its support pillars was hit by a container ship on Tuesday, March 26.
The world watched all day as dive teams went into the Patapsco River, searching for victims.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Among the audience were Milwaukee first responders. It's a lens of self-reflection. There's an inherent risk that comes with just about everything the fire service does, and departments use training to manage that.
Milwaukee Fie Assistant Chief of Operations Schuyler Belott
Assistant Chief of Operations for the Milwaukee Fire Department Schuyler Belott oversees every facet of the department, including its heavy urban rescue and dive teams.
"My first thoughts were, it's just sort of overwhelming," Belott said. "Our firefighters look at it and say, 'Alright, well how do we address this? What would we do?’"
He said the video of the bridge collapse reminded him of a call in Milwaukee from 1999, when the Big Blue crane collapsed on Miller Park, now American Family Field, killing three construction workers.
Blue Crane collapse
"I was just a young firefighter with a year or two on the job," Belott said. "You kind of look and think, 'Well, where do we start?’''
Belott said the Key bridge collapse only adds to the dangers that dive teams normally face.
"It's challenging enough, because their visibility is low," he said. "If we have a vehicle in the water, we have entanglement concerns."
It’s a risk Milwaukee fire crews know well. In 2019, dive team member John Cooley became trapped while 30 feet underwater.
Baltimore Key Bridge collapse live updates: 6 people presumed dead
The search continues for 6 construction workers missing since Baltimore's Key Bridge was hit by a ship and collapsed overnight, but the workers' employer says he believes they did not survive. The city, meanwhile, is under a state of emergency.
"Everything's flashing in your head then," Cooley said after the incident. "Like, 'Please God, do not let me die this way.'"
Back to Baltimore, Belott said it’s all about balancing risk, and not just to the public.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
"We have to make sure that we're there to provide safety for the public and provide rescue operations if possible, but before we can even do that, we have to ensure the safety of our own firefighters," he said.
He said he expects the Milwaukee Fire Department will reach out to Baltimore down the road to learn what went well and what didn’t. MFD is also working with Port Milwaukee to train on shipboard firefighting.
Reaction
Port Milwaukee
"Port Milwaukee is sending our sympathy to the Port of Baltimore community following Tuesday’s tragic bridge collapse. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those affected."
Rep. Gwen Moore
'My prayers are with the victims, survivors, their families and loved ones following the tragic bridge collapse in Baltimore. My prayers also go out to the first responders and agencies, both local and federal, assisting in recovery efforts."