DAPHNE, Ala. — The Daphne Fire Department was just one of four departments practicing new techniques this week.

Daphne Firefighter Lt. Troy Gorlott taught “Introduction to Technical Rescues” to 18 firefighters from Daphne, Orange Beach Marlow and Magnolia Springs this week, according to Tom Walker, Daphne Fire Department public information officer.

The firefighters focused on four topics: types of ropes, maintenance of ropes, rope rescue equipment and knots, Walker said.

“The department will be better equipped to serve the community when it comes to rescuing people from high angles and tall buildings; for instance, from a billboard, the Bayway (the I-10 bridge) or the edge of a building,” Walker said.

Gorlott spent Thursday teaching instructional material to the firefighters, Walker said.

The firefighters practiced in the drill field on Profit Drive yesterday, he said.

The fire department has a five-story burn building — a structure that firefighters can safely practice realistic scenarios on — that firefighters repelled down, Walker said.

They practiced tying knots, securing ropes and harnessed a person securely to lower them to the ground, he said.

A firefighter repelling down the building has no control on his descent, Walker said. There are firefighters above releasing the line he needs to reach his point of rescue, or in this instance, the ground.

The firefighter’s hands need to be free for rescue efforts, he said.

Each firefighter is cross-trained in every aspect of the process — tying the knots, guiding a firefighter down, releasing the firefighter after the repel and repelling, Walker said.

Otherwise, he said, “You don’t know who’s going to show up (to an accident or fire scene) or what they will know.”