Firefighters involved in Calgary Tower rescue go through extensive training for such scenarios

Cases where elevator cables snapare rare, and yet the Calgary Fire Department was ready for the situation which required a complicated "high-angle rescue" last Fridayat the Calgary Tower.

Eight individuals needed to climb out of the ceiling of the broken elevator, and while harnessed shimmy over to a second, functioning elevator car that was brought alongside. All of this was done safely with the help of Calgary firefighters.

Captain Todd Dyer is a member of the expert team behind the rescue, performed approximately 10 storeys up.

He says he's happy the rescue was so successfuland that he was able to put his training to work.

"This is what you sign up for," hetold the Calgary Eyeopeneron Wednesday.

Dyer says the positive attitudes of the eight people they rescued made the job easier.

"Kudos to them as well for their bravery.They are awesome.Theyhad great spirits," he said. "I think there is enough of them that they were keeping it light and just made some jokes and stuff like that to ease the pressure."

• 'We heard the cable snap': Firefighters rescue 8 in nerve-racking Calgary Tower elevator extraction

Thoserescued, Calgary Tower staff and an elevator safety expert have all come together to commend the firefighters on their performance in a challenging and dramatic extraction effort.

"The fire crew team was really good and reassuring, and standing by the group of them holding yourhand and guiding you over," Jessica Dube told CBC News after being rescued from the elevator.

What is a high-angle rescue?

Friday's incident was responded to by both of the fire department's two technical rescue teams so over a dozen members. The teams are trained in many different rescue techniques including the high-angle rescue which was needed in the elevator shaft.

CFDdescribes a high-angle rescue as any situation that requires ropes to be used.

What other situations can they be used in?

Cases where high-angle rescues are doneare not generally as high-profile as the Calgary Tower incident. One of the most common uses of the technique in Calgary is to save people who have become stranded on steep river banks or ravines.

Other circumstances that demand high-angle rescues include:

• On the exterior of buildings.
• On the interior of buildings or shafts.
• On construction sites.
• In or on tower cranes.
• On bridges.
• On electrical transmission towers.

The Calgary Fire Department has trained members in this technique since 1983, in what the department says was a first in North America at the time.

District Chief Brian Neistold the Calgary Eyeopenerthat although the expert teamdoesn't see these calls often, they're some of the highest risk calls.

"Not only to the public, but to our members," said Neis. "As such, our guys do have to put in a lot of hours training and making sure their skills are up to speed for this."