Chief Concerns Richard Marinucci

Being from the Metropolitan Detroit area (the Motor City), the organizations I have been affiliated with have had access to newer model cars for practice and also valuable information on changes in automobiles that can affect response and performance. Not every part of the country is so fortunate.

Having these resources nearby was very helpful in practicing and improving extrication techniques and capabilities. As new challenges arose because of changes in manufacturing and materials, fire departments in this area could “work” on late model vehicles, those most likely to be involved in a wreck, vs. an older model from a junkyard.

Even with some of these resources, it is difficult to keep up. In the not-too-distant past, there were basically two ways to power automobiles— gasoline and diesel. Today, you can get these plus electric (EV), hybrid, natural gas, propane, hydrogen, and more. Each creates different challenges for extrication and other responses, like vehicle fires. In addition to the fuel variances, vehicles continue to use new materials, both metal and plastic, in their construction. The electronics on cars are very sophisticated and require responders to have some working knowledge of them. Added all together, there are no longer any simple car extrications or car fires.

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Knowing what you are facing in any type of emergency is critical to providing quality service that makes a difference to those involved in the emergency and to those responding so they can minimize their risks while doing their job. The fact that just this one aspect of the job has gotten much more complicated challenges organizations to stay current in all aspects of the job. When looking at responses involving vehicles, consider the extrication possibilities and fire hazards. And, since you will most likely be working on a roadway, creating the proper work zone is essential.

There must be a difference in approach depending on whether it’s a fire or an extrication. An extrication involves emergency medical services with a chance to positively affect the outcome. Anyone trapped in a vehicle is most likely injured. The extent of the injury determines the pace and extent

Three new fire engines have arrived to help the Casper Fire-EMS Department respond to emergencies in the community, OilCity.News reported.

Engines 2, 3 and 6 have all been inspected by Casper Fire-EMS personnel and will be placed into service this week, the department said in a press release on Monday. Ceremonies will be held for the first day of service for each engine at its respective station, and residents are welcome to attend.

A ceremony for Engine 3 will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20 at Fire Station 3 at 2140 East 12th Street. The ceremony will include a brief wash-down of the new apparatus and a “push-in” ceremony.

Engine 2 will see its ceremony at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Fire Station 2, 3900 South Coffman. The ceremony for Engine 6 will be held Friday, Sept. 23 at Fire Station 6, 185 Valley Drive.

The “wash-down” and “push-in” ceremonies that will be held for all three engines come from fire department traditions.

Fort Garry—Peguis First Nation (Manitoba, Canada) Fire Department aerial ladder quint. Freightliner M2 112 cab and chassis; Cummins L9 450-hp engine; Hale DSD 1,250-gpm pump; Bronto All-Rounder F92 ALR 92-foot articulated ladder platform and rescue ladder; 330-gallon polypropylene water tank; 42-foot overall length; spacious rescue platform with 750-pound capacity. Dealer: Fort Garry Fire Trucks, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by author.)

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An elderly volunteer firefighter underwent surgery Monday and remains in a hospital in Columbus (OH) after a rollover crash that happened Sunday, WSAZ.com reported.

A fire official said the 72-year-old firefighter suffered fractures in his lower leg, the report said.

The fire official said while returning from a call on Storys Run Road in Cheshire, the pumper truck the firefighter was driving rolled over the side of a hill, throwing the driver out and pinning his leg underneath the truck, the report said.

Nobody else was on board.

Other firefighters also on their way back saw the truck had flipped and used air bags to lift the truck and pull the firefighter out. He was then flown to a hospital, according to the report.

The fire official said the injured firefighter had served on the Middleport Fire Department in the 1970s and 80s before leaving the area. He later moved back and just re-joined the department last year, the report said.