Search and rescue training held at Chesterfield Mall pre-demo

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – The Metro West Fire Protection District is taking part in a regional-wide urban search and rescue training.

The exercise is being held at the now-closed Chesterfield Mall before its demolition Oct. 15. Teams busted through two floors to get to victims in the basement and extract them in real-world training Friday.

“This is a rarity,” Assistant Chief at Monarch Fire Protection District Les Crews said. “I’ve been in this business for a very long time…we’re fortunate the Staenberg Group allowed us to train on this site. So, this was a huge success.”

Trainings offered multiple fire and rescue agencies the chance to practice as real-world of a scenario as it gets. Men and women worked together using gear obtained after the 9/11 attack at the World Trade Center.

The 90-acre site will be transforming into the downtown Chesterfield project, expected to open in 2028.

“We look at this as kind of the closing ceremony, as a way to service the Chesterfield community by allowing first responders in here to play around and learn and usually get that experience from,” Taylor Reich with the Staenberg Group said.

Training will continue over the next two weeks at the mall.

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