Firefighters perform a Vehicle Rescue Demo for Scouts
By Rescue Captain Julius Marosfalvi Jr.
April 8, 2008 |
On Saturday afternoon, April 5, 2008, firefighters from Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Company conducted a demonstration of a vehicle rescue in front of a large group of boy scouts. Nearly 100 scouts were captivated by the amazing demonstration of a simulated vehicle accident rescue.
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The demonstration started with Rescue 68 and Engine 68-2 arriving on a simulated vehicle crash with one person hypothetically trapped in the driver's seat. Crews performed a quick size-up, stabilized the vehicle, and began the extrication process. Using hydraulic spreaders often referred to as the jaws-of-life, crews systematically removed both driver and passenger side front doors in order to gain access to where the trapped patient would be. The Crews then used hydraulic cutters to remove the roof from the vehicle. The roof is often removed to make it easier to safely remove a patient. | |
With the doors and roof removed, the medics usually have ample room to treat the patient however what can often happen in a severe front end collision is that a patient may be pinned by the steering wheel or dashboard. When this occurs, firefighters us a technique called a dash roll to displace the dashboard off, or away, from the patient. Crews make a number of relief cuts and then use a pair of rams to push the dashboard off from the patient, freeing the person in the process. Once freed, the patient can packaged and transported to the hospital.
An entire extrication process can take on average of 15 to 30 minutes depending on how severity of the accident. This particular rescue demonstration was completed in just 14 minutes. The goal of the emergency crews is to free the injured person(s) as quickly as possible and transport them to the nearest medical facility with 60 minutes of the accident. This timeframe is often referred to as "the golden hour".
The spectators had a rare opportunity to observe firefighters in action. Everyone that attended appreciated the life saving skills demonstrated by the volunteer firefighters from Valley Forge.
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(Click on the images below to enlarge) |
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