Confined spaces are areas with limited access/egress and are not designed for continuous occupancy. Common examples are tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, pits, trenches, vaults, tunnels, sewers, storm drains and manholes. These areas are dangerous to those who enter them and to rescuers.

To stay safe during these rescues, commitment, training and equipment is essential. A joint public-private consortium was formed to support a trained and equipped team to handle confined space rescues. The city of Mankato, Blue Earth County and affected private businesses paid an initial set up fee and also pay an annual maintenance fee. Fees are based on a risk assessment matrix that quantifies relative hazards. Initial entrance fees generated $75,000, which helped set up the program including training, equipment and a trailer to move equipment. Annual maintenance fees bring in $17,000 annually and cover training, maintenance and replacement costs of damaged equipment. 

Firefighters train regularly on specific skills and go to partner sites to conduct realistic simulated rescues. To date, the team has been called to numerous grain bin rescues and a water tower rescue.