WICHITA, Kansas, June 19, 2007 - Wichita firefighters have been participating in rescue training since the end of May. Tuesday, they rescued victims and fellow firefighters who became trapped when the roof of a school building collapsed. Theatrical smoke made it seem more realistic.

"With the smoky conditions, obviously you get anxious because of the situation of trying to rescue one of your own," Lt. David Voss, Wichita firefighter, said. "It gets pretty intense but you calm yourself down."

Staying calm is especially difficult for some after learning of the nine firefighters who died in South Carolina. It's believed to be the single greatest loss of American firefighters in the line of duty since the September 11th attacks. 

"Your heart gets heavy," Voss said. "But it also makes you want to train a little harder and get more practice, in case the situation happens to you or one of your fellow firefighters."

Once all of the circumstances of the South Carolina tragedy are known, firefighters will use that information to protect themselves in the future.

"They'll investigate why it happened, what happened and whether it could have been avoided,"  Capt. Brad Boyd, Wichita firefighter, said. "We'll take that information and teach it to our guys, so it doesn't happen here."

It's called a Lessons Learned report. Wichita firefighters said they'll take what they can from it, but won't second guess the actions of their fallen comrades.

"Our hearts go out to the guys in South Carolina," Boyd said.