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Published October 12, 2012, 12:00 AM

Photo Gallery: Duluth firefighters bailout


Duluth Fire Department Capt. Tom Guntzburger descends a 4.5-story training tower using a bailout kit Wednesday. The kit allows firefighters to escape burning buildings and was paid for in large part with a federal grant. A similar grant paid for the tower, which is owned by the Cloquet Area Fire District and used by other departments. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)

  • Duluth Fire Department Capt. Tom Guntzburger descends a 4.5-story training tower using a bailout kit Wednesday. The kit allows firefighters to escape burning buildings and was paid for in large part with a federal grant. A similar grant paid for the tower, which is owned by the Cloquet Area Fire District and used by other departments. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)
  • Duluth Fire Department Capt. Tom Guntzburger begins his descent from a window in a training tower Wednesday using a new bailout kit. For an extra margin of safety while training, Guntzburger was also attached to a second line controlled from below by Firefighter Chris Cid. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)
  • Firefighter Dan Smith (right) checks safety equipment before Fire Equipment Operator Mark Freeman tries out his bailout kit. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)
  • Fire Equipment Operator Mark Freeman climbs out of a third-story window of Cloquet’s mobile training tower to practice using his bailout kit. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)
  • For additional safety, Firefighter Chris Cid belayed the people training with bailout kits Wednesday. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)
  • The bailout kits include a hook, 50 feet of line, and a device that belay device that allows a firefighter to control the speed of his or her descent. (Steve Kuchera / skuchera@duluthnews.com)