November 19, 2010
The Arnold Engineering Development Center Fire Department
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Arnold Air Force Base, TN - The Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Fire Department is now on the "cutting edge" of vehicle extrication technology.

Firefighters used their rescue equipment, including a new metal-cutting saw, on a variety of vehicles during annual training conducted Nov. 8-10 at LKQ Salvage in Manchester. The Training was significant because it allowed the firefighters to learn and practice new techniques necessary for extrication performed on late-model vehicles.

For instance, new safety systems, air bags and new types of metals and alloys can make extracting an accident victim more difficult, and even dangerous, according to George DeShields, AEDC assistant fire chief for operations.

"We're used to pulling up and taking the doors off a car, cutting the roof off and getting the people out," he said. "With the new safety systems there are some metals we can't cut or are very difficult to cut or bend. Because the cylinders that carry the gas that will cause the air bag to open and the location of the air bags, we have to take a different approach about how we get into those vehicles and how we open those up to disentangle the entrapped people."

In years past, the AEDC Fire Department had to purchase wrecked cars for the training and pay to have them transported to and from base, but DeShields said LKQ was very generous in letting firefighters practice in the salvage yard.

"LKQ donated us as many cars as we could use, different models, shapes, colors and in different configurations - be it just the wheels off it and [otherwise] looking like a brand new vehicle to vehicles that were in real automobile accidents and crashed up," he said. "They put cars and trucks up on their side for us, where we would have to practice stabilizing the vehicles and then extracting people from them."

DeShields provided the instruction in the new techniques, which also saved the department precious funding, according to Jeff Thames, assistant chief of training. Firefighters were also able to spend more time training than if they had to pay someone to come in and deliver the instruction.

"About two months ago Assistant Chief DeShields had the opportunity to attend and participate in a 'Vehicle Extrication in the New Millennium' class, a new concept class that updates everybody on the new training methods and hazards," Thames said. "As the AEDC crews rotated through the three-day training at LKQ, DeShields gave every firefighter the benefit of what he had learned and each firefighter received the same type of instruction. With budget restrictions what they are, we could never have afforded this type of opportunity, so it was very valuable.

"I appreciate the opportunity that LKQ gave us. They're a very large operation, and they did not have to do this. We were treated very well and, hopefully, we'll have the same opportunity to go out there once or twice a year."

DeShields said the AEDC Fire Department is probably better trained in vehicle extrication than ever before.

He said some of the specialized equipment employed in the extrication exercise included the Power Hawk, an electric tool similar to the Jaws of Life, which is more suitable for confined, flammable areas; Res-Q-Jacks to stabilize the cars and the Sawzall for cutting metal. The new metal-cutting saw is called a Milwaukee Saw, and a tool called a Glass Master was used to take out automobile windows.