First responders from both the West Grove 22 and the Avondale 23 fire companies came together recently to train on vehicle rescue techniques. The joint training was held on a Monday evening at Blittersdorf's Towing in Toughkenamon.

Vehicle crashes are a large component of emergency responses for area fire companies, and this kind of training allows members at all skill levels the opportunity to learn techniques to use hand tools and hydraulic rescue tools used to help free patients from damaged vehicles. Both fire companies carry a wide range of rescue tools on each company's rescue trucks and fire engines, and the joint training enable members to get hands-on experience on each others equipment and techniques -- especially as 23 and 22 are likely to respond together on incidents on area roads and highways.

At the training, a large crew of first responders were able to work on two vehicles, using hand tools to remove windshields, and hydraulic- and battery-powered rescue tools to spread and cut metal. These tools (commonly called the "jaws of life") are used to free entrapped patients in heavily damaged cars, and can be used to remove doors and roofs to make patient treatment and removal possible.

The evening was filled with many examples of experienced firefighters teaching newer members techniques and how to use various tools, all under the watchful eyes of fire line officers who explained techniques that focus on scene safety and scene organization at vehicle crash emergencies.

The mutual aid relationship between West Grove and Avondale is extensive over a long shared history as fire companies working side by side to provide emergency response in the greater Avon Grove area for many years.

Our thanks to our partners at Blittersdorf's who offered the wrecked cars and their towing yard for the training session. For more information on their operation, see: https://blitstow.com/towing