A specialist extrication training week has been taking place at Ryde Fire Station since Monday, with one of the areas of training being how to deal with electric and hybrid vehicles, which often feature complex internal equipment.
Cutting people free from trapped vehicles can be an everyday part of being a firefighter, but with modern vehicles featuring a range of new materials and features, it is important crews know the best way to approach each situation.
Crews have this week been looking at a variety of different vehicles and learning about how they work and the best safe practices surrounding new hazards, such as large battery packs. Firefighters at Ryde yesterday (Wednesday) got hands on with the vehicles supplied by local garages including Staddlestones Nissan, Harwoods Renault, Wight Motors and Westridge Mitsubishi.
It’s not just how a vehicle is powered that is a new area of training for the Island’s fire service – this week’s training is also focusing on how to use specialist cutting equipment when faced with modern materials such as carbon fibre.
A live extrication simulation was carried out using the scenario of an alternatively fueled car having been involved in a road traffic collision. The risks of the ‘hybrid car’ were assessed and dealt with before crews extricated a dummy casualty from the second vehicle, which had overturned.
The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have also taken this week’s extrication training as an opportunity to trial new battery-powered cutting equipment, which could potentially be featured on future pumping appliances. The wireless cutting gear removes the need for a generator and hydraulic hoses meaning a faster response and less hazards at the scene of an incident.
Mick Keenan, local senior officer for the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“Modern vehicles are changing all the time with different kinds of materials and equipment buried within the build of the frame. It isn’t simply a case of cutting off a roof or a window anymore using traditional equipment because of the complexities of modern vehicles.
Article continues below this advertisement “The week long training event at Ryde is vital to ensuring the fire service is resilient and well prepared for modern scenarios.
“Trialing new equipment is also important as it helps us decide what resources we may need in future”.
As well as the extrication training and vehicle familiarisation, fire crews are taking part in practical workshops focusing on areas including trauma, management of scenes and heavy lifting for LGV’s.
The training comes just weeks after firefighters Aidy Wellock and Aden Thomson came second in the International Trauma Competition hosted by the World Rescue Organisation. The event aims to improve technical rescue standards by bringing together rescue and medical services throughout the world to develop and share essential post incident skills and knowledge.
