Extrication is a skill firefighters frequently use, and Legacy Regional Protective Services recently spent a training night practising it.
An increase in new firefighters to the department led to senior members passing on advice about how to work a collision scene safely.
Older members are passing down decades of real-life experience to the next generation of first responders.
Regional Chief, Dean Peters, says pairing recruits with mentors is imperative and part of their mandatory training.
"Just a few weeks ago, at the plane crash, a senior member taking on a newer member seemed to work well," said Peters, referring to one of the two recent fatal crashes.
"They also show them some basic stuff like putting on their gear properly and using a breathing apparatus."
Peters grabbed the bobcat and tipped over a well-used pick-up truck in the back parking lot. Not before the well-travelled dummy was placed so his arm would be crushed by the tipped truck.
Upon arrival at the scene of their rescue vehicle, stability was explained to some of the team's newer members.
"Think of it like a triangle. If you stand straight up and down and I push you, you'll tip over easily," Peters explained while gently pushing one of the members.
He had them spread their stance and push again, demonstrating they were less likely to tip over.
It was the same when they went to work on the extrication of the individual from the truck. They used braces on one side to create a triangle, which prevented the truck from flipping. Then they worked to extricate the plasticized victim.
These lessons and the teamwork developed in training translate into critical minutes during real emergencies—minutes that can save lives. Peters explains other reasons it's important to conduct this training regularly.
"It builds muscle memory and helps get the skill sets down, we also find we learn something new every time," said Peters."No two accidents are ever the same, so we have to bring these skillsets to every call."
If you want to become a volunteer firefighter and learn firsthand about extrication, Peters says they are always looking to recruit. You can reach out to them for more details.
Read More: Regional Fire Services Review: Oct 3 - Meridian Source
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