| Saturday we were back in New York with the members of the Katonah FD for a day focused on extrication and stabilization.
With the arrival of the new Rescue 17, the department has gone all in updating and upgrading its cache of equipment. Covering Interstate 684, the Saw Mill River Parkway, Route 35, and plenty of challenging backroads, Katonah runs in areas where serious MVCs are always a possibility. After researching what would best fit their district and looking at what surrounding mutual aid companies were carrying, they built out 17 with a strong, well-rounded complement of tools.
The day began with an extensive tool lab, giving members the opportunity to get hands-on with equipment many had never used before. We covered capabilities, limitations, intended uses, and different deployment methods. The discussion was outstanding all day long, with members asking great “what-if” questions and relating the equipment back to incidents they’ve already run in their district.
Lunch & breaks took a back seat, making sure they got through every topic and scenario possible. They split into 3 groups rotating through 3 stations, each designed to highlight specific equipment and problem-solving skills.
-Scenario 1: A victim was simulated under the rear of a vehicle, with another pinned against a wall. Students used a TL-9, spreaders, and a Grip Hoist to capture, lift, secure, remove, and extricate the victims.
-Scenario 2: A vehicle on its roof had to be stabilized, captured, and lifted in order to remove the simulated victims.
-Scenario 3: A side-resting vehicle with the operator partially ejected and an arm pinned underneath. Students had access to airbags, struts, and additional equipment to solve the problem.
In the final evolution, students were faced with an underride involving one vehicle into another that was already on its roof. They were advised a tray cut would be needed on the roofed vehicle while the other had to be moved using the Grip Hoist. It was a full-picture scenario forcing them to combine all of the day’s skills into one operation.
Signal 73 thanks the Chiefs Staff & Members of the Katonah Fire Department for once again bringing us in to train your agency. |
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