Keenan Auto Body Vice President and
COO Michael LeVasseur announced that the nine-store collision repair chain hosted a First Responder training
program on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at Keenan Auto Body East in Clifton Heights, Pa., and on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at Keenan Auto Body South in West Chester.
With roughly 6 million car crashes per year, it’s
imperative that first responders are equipped with the knowledge to extract
vehicle occupants in the most efficient manner, especially in crashes
when it’s a matter of life and death.
"First responders such as firemen require the most
current vehicle information to be effective and save lives at the scene of an
accident," said Craig Camacho, Keenan’s marketing director. "This
type of training is more important than ever given the rapid onslaught of
advancements in vehicle design such as high-strength steels, advanced restraint
systems and multiple air bags. The growing popularity of high-voltage hybrid
vehicles also makes a class like this a necessity."
State Farm, Esurance and 1800 Charity Cars
donated eight late-model vehicles for first responders to practice on.
"Local fire
departments have indicated this kind of knowledge is much needed, and we’re honored to be able to deliver critical information to those who need it most,"
added Camacho.
I-CAR trainer and industry expert Toby Chess instructed
the class with hands-on demonstrations. M.E.S., a distributor of Hurst rescue tools, provided
all of the equipment needed for the hands-on cutting, Enterprise Rent-A-Car sponsored the catered dinner for Clifton Heights, and Hertz Local
Edition sponsored the dinner for West Chester.
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