One of the nice things about these chocks besides flexibility in application is the fact they also take up less storage space on apparatus “By David Dalrymple”

Author’s note: Extrication Today is a new column for YOU, the rescuer, to stay current with the concerns, issues and problems we encounter on the street with vehicle-related incidents. In the coming months, learn about cutting-edge technology fused with tool evolutions for today’s vehicles we respond to. I’ll also be looking at out-of-the-box space-making techniques as well as patient management. While I have quite a list of topics in store for you, I also want to hear from you! What are you seeing, actually encountering in responses, and let me know your concerns — I want to hear about them! Please e-mail me at David.Dalrymple@firerescue1.com. In future articles, I’ll also be incorporating video and PowerPoint presentations you can download to use for your own educational programs.

Read The Full Article At firerescue1.com

Vehicle rescue is a patient-driven practice. We all know this to be true, be it whatever job you are doing at the time, whether it’s staffing a charged line to provide fire suppression protection, operating a power hydraulic rescue tool to create space to disentangle a patient, providing hands-on patient management (photo 1), or facilitating the mitigation of the incident as the incident commander (IC). All parts of the response package are equally important in achieving a better patient outcome. If you have read any of my articles or attended any of my presentations or training classes, you know I firmly believe that you need to believe this and know it to be true if you are to be a good rescue technician. The bottom line is, Do no further harm. For the full article head over to fireengineering.com

Box art for DVD1 of our 3 DVD series being introduced at FDIC by Fire Engineering

8-Hour H.O.T. Hands-on-Training
held during the NJ State Firemen’s Convention – Wildwood, NJ September 15, 2011

The Art of Spacemaking in Light of
Today’s vehicles- Advanced &
Alternative Tool Evoluations for Today’s Rescuer
Dave Dalrymple/Roadway Rescue LLC

Much has been written about today’s vehicles and their hazards and our concerns to mitigate them. We all know about hybrids and changes in automotive power. Safety systems are present in ever greater numbers and locations. Many of you have encountered vehicles that might have bewildered or downright frustrated you. This isn’t like the vehicles we have drilled on, they really are not. Much has changed but there is a common thread throughout these times. We need to provide access and a disentanglement pathway for the patients in the vehicle. That’s the bottom line. Any rescue skill is patient care driven. While tool operations are indeed a skill, much can be said that there is an “art” to creating or making space. So how do we cross the line of simple application of tool evolutions to the thought process of true spacemaking. We know we need to provide a safe & rapid pathway to disentangle our patient. Many times our pathway for access becomes our same pathway to extricate as well. But with the changes in vehicles today is this still appropriate? Maybe cutting isn’t as effective as pushing components apart? Is that pathway staring at us and we just haven’t realized it?
In this educational program we would like to like to put forth some changes in our current mindset in what we do on scene, the tools we choose & use, how we prepare for the incidents we respond to and even some of our education and training.

To Include:
-    Trunk tunneling
-    Interior displacement/ roof displacements & alternative removal methods
-    Total side removal w/ dash displacement w/strategic cutting
-    Patient management station including in an “uncuttable” vehicle
-    Central Ram push & footwell displacement or Third Door Evolutions

Please visit the web site http://www.cmcfirechiefs.com/ for registration information or contact us via e-mail at hot@cmcfirechiefs.com (Deputy Chief Daniel Speigel, Wildwood FD – 609-846- 2033)

Download the Registration Form