The National Auto Body Council (NABC), Caliber Collision and State Farm teamed up with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to host a special First Responder Emergency Extrication (FREE) training program for 75 firefighters representing 14 fire and rescue companies throughout Virginia, Maryland and New York.

NABC’s training program is designed to provide specialized instruction on the safest, fastest way to extricate accident victims from vehicles constructed with today’s high-strength materials and advanced technologies.

It is the only hands-on training program of its kind that focuses specifically on late-model vehicles with lighter weight, high-strength steels, sophisticated electronics and multiple airbag systems.

“With limited budgets, training opportunities like this are invaluable,” said John Burruss, training officer for the Charlottesville (Va.) Fire Department. “Knowing where and how to efficiently cut and extricate can make the difference in saving lives as well as the safety of our first responders.”

Caliber Collision sponsored the FREE event, which was offered at no cost to fire departments as a community service program. State Farm donated late-model vehicles for the training program, and Holmatro Rescue Equipment provided training instruction and extrication tools.

“As collision industry professionals, we understand the complexities of today’s new car technology,” said Chuck Sulkala, executive director of the National Auto Body Council. ”We are committed to do all we can do to help provide our first responders with training resources that will benefit our community and help save lives.”

Sulkala encouraged local collision repairers interested in hosting First Responder Emergency Extrication events in their local communities to contact the National Auto Body Council.