Vehicle Rescue Training With 73
 
By Firefighter J.R. Phillips
April 12, 2017
 

This evening during our weekly training night the members of the Glen Moore Fire Company along with members from the Ludwigs Corner Fire Company completed a drill on emergency responses on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The 48 crew over the past few months have been training on vehicle rescue techniques and have perfecting all the skills necessary to handle motor vehicle accidents involving entrapment. The members also recently took a class centered around responses to the PA Turnpike and the specific safety precautions that need to be taken while responding to an emergency on the pike.

The scenario began with Engine 48-5 being called to the "PA Turnpike" (Glen Moore Fire Company parking lot) for a reported vehicle fire, Squad 48 responded and set up command Capt. 48 gave the report of a fully involved vehicle, Engine 48-5 arrived on scene, and went inservice with a 1 inch and 3/4 hand line to extinguish the car fire. During the course of the scenario a second call for service occurred on the pike, this call was an accident that occurred in the backlog of traffic from the initial vehicle fire. The report from the dispatchers was an accident with entrapment involving multiple vehicles, with one overturned with ejection. Rescue 48 and Engine 48-1 responded, and due to the nature of the call Rescue 73 and multiple ambulances were added to the assignment. Crews arrived to find a 4 vehicle accident in the backlog of traffic that was blocking all lanes of traffic. The crews went to work assessing patients and stabilizing the vehicles for extrication. Once the vehicles were stable, crews from 48 and 73 went to work extricating the patients. Upon extrication of the vehicles, all crews involved met together to debrief.

Following the debrief, crews packed up some of the equipment, and took the time to allow some of the newer members to better familiarize themselves with the hydraulic tools that we carry on our trucks.

Thank you to the members of the Ludwigs Corner Fire Company and Westwood Ambulance Company for continuing to train with us.

Special thank you to all of the towing companies that provided us with vehicles to cut.

 
Units: Engine 48-5, Engine 48-1, Rescue 48, Squad 48
 
Mutual Aid: Rescue 73 (Ludwigs Corner), Ambulance 144 (Westwood Ambulance)