Harrington Body Shop in Rising Sun, Md., will host a First Responder Emergency Extrication (FREE) event this Thursday, Oct. 19.

“We are delighted to be a facilitator of this invaluable training in our home town,” said Robert Kiebler Jr., general manager of the shop and a 20-year-veteran of the Community Fire Co. of Rising Sun. “I can assure you firsthand as a firefighter and former safety officer of the impact this will have on local first responders but most importantly the people we serve. This program is clearly a life-saver.”

State Farm has donated four late-model vehicles for the upcoming National Auto Body Council event. Banks Towing, owned by Lee Banks and one of Cecil County’s largest towing companies, is donating towing services to bring and return the vehicles from Insurance Auto Auctions in Baltimore.

The National Auto Body Council’s FREE initiative helps save lives by providing firefighters and rescue squads with rare opportunities to train and hone their skills specifically on late-model vehicles with lighter-weight, high-strength steels, sophisticated electronics and multiple airbag systems. The program is a collaborative effort that includes collision repair shops, insurance companies that donate late-model total-loss vehicles, and Holmatro Rescue Equipment, which provides expert instructors and equipment to facilitate the event.