Wednesday February 2, 2024

Nature: Firefighter Drill / Training Event

City: Oak Orchard, Delaware

On Wednesday evening, February 28^th, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company hosted its monthly training event at the Main Station in Oak Orchard.  The training objective was to acclimate and familiarize the fire company’s emergency first responders with rescue strategies utilizing vehicle rescue extrication tools such as cutters, rams, spreaders, air bags, vehicle rescue stabilization struts, and extrication procedures for patient packaging and emergency transportation to medical facilities.

Rescue extrication tools such as cutters, rams, and spreaders are commonly used to push, pull, pry and cut during extrication activities.

Rescue air bags are used for lifting by fire and emergency rescue personnel to assist in vehicle extrication of crash victims or in rescue efforts from small spaces after a collapse of buildings. These specialized products used in conjunction with wooden cribbing can be extremely beneficial and resourceful during times of emergency need.  These devices have the capability for high-pressure lifting and are ideally suited to emergency rescue situations due to the following criteria: lightweight, can be carried by one person, durable construction, substantial lifting capacity, slim for restricted space and compact storage, and require low maintenance.

Cribbing and struts are commonly used for stabilization purposes and can also be used in conjunction with these lifting and stabilization devices.  The effective and efficient operation of these devices necessitates constant training and familiarization.

In addition to tools and techniques used to bend, move, and cut metal, the primary objective of any extrication process is to provide the best care to entrapped subjects therefore patient stabilization and packaging is just as critical as extrication.  The patient stabilization and packaging for transportation was a combined training evolution with the Mid Sussex Rescue Squad.

Illustrated herewith are some photographs of these training evolutions.