CRESTVIEW — The average driver likely will never need to be rescued from his or her vehicle.
But if the automobile's frame is twisted, bent or compressed in a wreck, the doors can become jammed shut. If that happens, North Okaloosa County residents can rest assured that area firefighters are trained on the latest rescue equipment.
See photos from the training exercise>>
Instructors from Hurst Jaws of Life and TNT Rescue on Saturday trained firefighters from all North Okaloosa County fire districts — except Dorcas and Laurel Hill, which couldn’t spare personnel to attend the exercise — in the use of the industry's latest extrication tools.
“One of the biggest things about this that makes it special is that we (had) almost every department here (Saturday), learning the same thing at the same time from the same people,” Alamarante Fire District Capt. Trae Duley said.
'THIS IS DARN IMPRESSIVE'
Firefighters steadily cut, chopped and chewed their way through five vehicles during the event, which Almarante organized at Garry’s Auto Recycling in Crestview.
“You’d never think something battery-operated could tear a car apart, would you?” Crestview Fire Department Deputy Chief Tony Holland said as a Jaws of Life devoured an Oldsmobile.
As a Glassmaster tool — essentially a powerful pair of hand-held, battery-powered shears — sliced the windshield out of an Isuzu Rodeo in seconds, Almarante Chief Charles Carroll shook his head in admiration.
“Impressive!” he said. “This is darn impressive.”
“It’s all about taking the car away from the patient,” Almarante Deputy Chief Ryan Jaycocks said.
‘LET THE TOOL DO THE WORK’
Blackman and Baker Fire Districts volunteer Miranda Sargent said she tried too hard the first time she attempted to pry the passenger’s door off the Olds.
“It was real heavy,” she said. “You feel like you had to put a lot of your own power into it. But after (the instructor) told me to let the tool do the work, it was just me stabilizing it and letting it do its thing.”
The Crestview Fire Department’s firefighters union is raising funds to buy a new set of rescue equipment, and has applied for a grant from Firehouse Subs for battery-powered tools, Holland said.
Firefighters expressed appreciation for Garry’s donation of vehicles and space for the exercise, calling it a valuable service for emergency responders and the driving public.
“We’re hoping to see more of these drills and scenarios in the future,” Holland said. “It’s a good thing to see. I’m very excited.”
WHO PARTICIPATED
Firefighters and emergency responders from Almarante, Baker, Blackman, Crestview, East Milton, Holt and North Okaloosa Fire Districts and Okaloosa County EMS trained on vehicle rescue equipment Saturday.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Rescue exercise includes almost all North Okaloosa fire districts