Power of Bowser Collision Center in Pleasant Hills, Pa., hosted a National Auto Body Council (NABC) First Responder Emergency Extrication (FREE) event on May 23.
NABC’s FREE program provides first responders with hands-on extrication practice, specifically on late-model vehicles equipped with today’s new car technology, including lighter weight, high-strength steels, sophisticated electronics and multiple airbag systems.
Approximately 65 local firemen from 21 different departments attended the event. The event kicked off with dinner, followed by an hour of classroom training taught by Anthony Fleming from Genesis Rescue Systems. Then, the firefighters donned their uniforms and gear and went outside for three hours of hands-on training using pick axes to break windshields and hydraulic cutting tools to cut the automobiles apart as if people were trapped inside after an accident.
The cars, seven of which were donated by Allstate and three by State Farm, were modern vehicles equipped with the latest technology.
