'A pretty unique team': Windsor’s USAR team one of four in the province

The team responsible for rescuing a man found on the metal deck beneath the main roadway of the Ambassador Bridge is one of only four such teams in the province.

Windsor Fire's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team was among the emergency crews called to the international land border Monday afternoon after a person fell about 15 feet from the bridge railing onto a metal deck below.

The USAR team rescued the individual and lifted them back onto the bridge before handing them over to paramedics with Essex-Windsor EMS.

"We heard the call come in over the radio through dispatch. We knew exactly what we were going to do," said Jon Phillips, a firefighter with 10 years of experience and one of 36 members of the Windsor USAR team. "I was setting up the anchor system, which allowed our rescuer to go down over the edge, make contact with the patient, package them in a litter basket and strap them in. Then, we lifted the rescuer and the patient up the system."

Funded by the province, Windsor's USAR team is one of only four in Ontario, trained to handle dangerous structural collapses and rope rescues, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jamie Waffle.

"All their firefighting training stays the same, but on top of that, these guys are focused on structural collapse training, rope training, and some advanced medical training," Waffle explained.

Firefighter Jon Phillips holds a harness and bag of rope on Oct. 9, 2024, which he used to rescue a man who had been found injured on a metal deck below the Ambassador Bridge roadway on Oct. 7, 2024. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

The number of incidents that USAR teams respond to is very low. In some years, they may only attend to one incident, or none at all.

However, the team's training allows them to help in situations that require USAR intervention, even outside the city.

"If Toronto had a large incident and they needed support, we could send people up to help them," Waffle noted. "If the chance for us to respond provincially is there, we're committed to that."

Ontario's four Urban Search and Rescue teams — in Windsor, Toronto, Ottawa, and Thunder Bay — were created to provide specialized support after the 2012 Elliott Lake mall collapse.

During that incident, emergency crews faced challenges in bringing enough qualified personnel to manage the complex rescue operation.

In 2019, the province named Windsor as one of a few cities to receive funding for a USAR team.

Windsor's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, one of four in Ontario, led the rescue effort of a man who had been found injured after falling over the Ambassador Bridge railing on Oct. 7, 2024. (Source: Jamie Waffle)

"It's a pretty unique team. It's cool that we get to do a lot of things that other firefighters may not do every day," Phillips said.

At least once a year, the province organizes a training exercise that brings together members of all four USAR teams in Ontario, according to Windsor Fire and Rescue Services.

Waffle emphasized that his members are dedicated to keeping their USAR skills sharp to be ready for any emergency.

USAR training includes activities like tying harnesses for rope rescues, building shoring systems to stabilize structures, using tools to breach debris, navigating confined spaces, and finding and rescuing victims from hazardous environments.

"These guys sometimes train on their regular shifts. Probably seven or eight times a year, they're getting together on their days off for additional training," Waffle said. "Training is essential. If you're not trained, and you don't keep up with your training, you're not going to be effective when you show up on the scene."