UPDATE: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Meridian Township firemen recently took part in an angled rescue training in downtown Lansing to practice high-angle rescue techniques.

"These technical rescues don't happen often," said Bill Priese, Chief of Training for the Meridian Township Fire Department, "but when they do, it's important to have specialized people with specialized training there to take care of them."

Lansing has been conducting these trainings for years, but this is the biggest group that has ever done it together, which Priese says is helpful.

"I think it's really good today," he said. "It's a regional effort once we mobilize, so it's good to have all the departments here together."

Priese also believes the teamwork utilized in those trainings is helpful to develop a camaraderie among those involved.

"We're in talks all the time with other departments about working together and making agreements with each other," he said. "And it's good too being a part of these regional teams, because then there are resources available if we ever need them in our township."

Priese says that training helps work out any bugs that may be in the system before the departments ever need to be called to action.

ORIGINAL STORY: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Meridian Township firefighters recently took part in an emergency rescue training exercise.