When a propane explosion leveled a downtown Truckee building in 1993, killing one and injuring eight, it became clear that small towns aren’t immune from catastrophic building collapses.

“It was always the mindset that only happened in big cities, but when Josephine’s collapsed, it really brought this to the forefront,” said Chief Bill Rust of the Truckee Fire Protection District, standing in front of a rescue vehicle Monday morning.

The lessons learned that day have culminated in 2008, as Truckee Fire received a new, higher-level of rescue certification, making the district one of only a handful in the state.

The new level of ability reflects three years of effort, training, and accumulation of specialized equipment, said Captain Craig Harvey.

“The next closest department is in Sacramento” that has Type 2 training, Harvey said. “As of last fall there were only six departments in California.”