Local firefighters win national rescue competition

Three Northwest suburban firefighters were part of a team that took first place in a rope rescue and confined space challenge aboard a historic battleship in March.

Palatine Lt. Nate Paulsberg, Palatine firefighter Dale Abbinanti and Arlington Heights firefighter Ross Chapman were part of the seven-member Team H-Elevated that won the CMC GRIMP North America Challenge. The competition took place March 28-30 on the Battleship USS Iowa in Los Angeles.

They were among 10 teams from around the globe who completed five technical rope rescue and confined space scenarios during the contest.

The team members worked together, pooling their skills in rope access, fire rescue, rock and ice climbing, mountain rescue, cave rescue, confined space rescue and sailing.

Paulsberg served as team leader, Abbinanti was lead rescuer and Chapman was the evaluator. They worked with four others from Elevated Safety/Harken Industrial, who filled spots on the rigging team and as the designated victim.

The team will be the first American team to compete in GRIMPDAY in Namur, Belgium, June 6-8. The event brings together search and rescue teams - made up of firefighters, civil defense, military and police - from around the world.