| Potsdam Fire recently held a district drill focused on passenger vehicle extrication, with members from West Stockholm Fire and West Potsdam Fire joining us for the training.
Members spent the evening working on vehicle stabilization using a variety of struts, jacks, cribbing, and other extrication equipment. Jerome Fire from Syracuse brought Res-Q-Jack equipment, giving our members the opportunity to work with strut/jack combination tools that allow firefighters to stabilize and lift a vehicle at the same time.
Members also had the opportunity to use the Jaws, cutters, and ram to remove vehicle doors and the roof. Training also included the “Tennessee Twist,” a technique where all but one C-pillar are cut. The roof can then be rotated while remaining attached, allowing it to be removed safely even when there are limited personnel available to lift the entire roof. This technique can allow as few as two firefighters to safely and effectively remove a vehicle roof and gain access to a patient.
Hands-on training like this is invaluable for preparing our members to safely and efficiently operate at real-world vehicle extrication incidents.
A huge thank you to Johnson Towing for donating the vehicles used for training, and to Jerome Fire and Res-Q-Jack for sharing their knowledge, tips, and expertise while giving our members the opportunity to work with new equipment. |
