While many of our residents were enjoying the last few weeks of summer, 15 of our members completed over 50 hours of training in vehicle rescue and heavy vehicle rescue. The course took place over three full weekends in August and culminated with 16 hours of certification testing that included three written exams and two practical skills exams. Members reviewed some basic vehicle stabilization techniques and extrication techniques. The course then shifted focus to rescue situations which involved large commercial vehicles such as busses or tractor-trailers.
This course, as with all other courses, was geared towards providing the best service to our residents and those who travel through the Tredyffrin/Easttown area. Berwyn Fire Company's coverage area includes portions of Route 202, Route 422, the PA Turnpike and Route 30. Berwyn responds to a significant number of vehicle accidents each year. Training and certification in this area keeps our firefighters at the top of their game when responding to these incidents.
Berwyn would like to extend our sincere thank you to the Fame Fire Company of West Chester who we partnered with in training. Fame also provided much of the equipment necessary for the heavy vehicle rescue scenarios. In addition, Berwyn would like to thank Abel Brother's Towing and West End Towing for providing invaluable assistance in picking up and setting up vehicles for the class. Last, thank you to the personnel of the Harrisburg Area Community College who provided an excellent class and provided the certification testing for our members.
Berwyn's Tower-Rescue Truck and Rescue 53 (Fame Fire Company of West Chester) provided a bulk of the equipment needed for training. Berwyn's Tower serves as rescue due to a consolidation of our ladder and rescue years ago for cost-savings and efficiency.
A view of the staging area for some of the stabilization and extrication equipment. The volume of equipment needed in large vehicle rescues is staggering.
During the course, members worked to stabilize a bus on an incline using various items such as struts, chains and come alongs. These skills must be frequently practiced and mastered for use in the field.
Berwyn and Fame members conducted an extrication of a driver trapped in a car with a box truck rolled on top of the vehicle with the vehicle wedged against a Jersey barrier. This involved securing both the car and truck and then cutting the roof off the vehicle to gain patient access and removal. Incidents like this can take well over an hour to complete.
Students in the class taking some time between scenarios to discuss the methods used and how to improve the next time. Most of the class was done in full firefighting gear with temperatures well over 90 degrees.
Stabilization of large vehicles can involve a large volume of wooden cribbing. In addition, firefighters must work as a cohesive team to make sure that things remain level to avoid toppling a truck.
Part of the training focused on the use of lifting bags - used to lift heavy objectives in order to extricate a victim who may be trapped underneath a vehicle.
One difficulty scenario encountered by the crews was a propane truck on top of a car. Crews used stabilization and the assistance of a tow truck to conduct the extrication.
Members from Berwyn, Fame Fire Company of West Chester, East Whiteland Fire Company, Horsham Fire Company (Montgmery), Hartsville Fire Company (Bucks), Exeter Township Fire Dept. (Berks) and Oley Fire Company (Berks) took part in the month long training.
