The National Auto Body Council (NABC) recently held a First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.) event hosted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for first responders from Virginia, DC, Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
More than 100 first responders donned their rescue gear for a hands-on demonstration of the latest techniques in emergency vehicle extrication, preparing them to provide the best response for car accident victims in the area, all thanks to URG and Team PRP. HURST Jaws of Life and Municipal Emergency Services (MES) provided the tools and education. Allstate and GEICO participated in a second event with IIHS on Oct. 12.
Today’s vehicles are equipped with numerous airbags, advanced technology and innovative safety systems that keep drivers safer in case of an accident. But, these same safety advantages make it harder for first responders to rescue those drivers and passengers. Add to that the potential challenge presented by electric and hybrid engines, and first responders need a whole new arsenal of rescue tools and procedures.
“First responders from five states came to IIHS and participated, not only in viewing a crash test, but they were cutting late-model vehicles that are donated to us by insurance partners,” said Kyle Medeiros, board member of the NABC and chair of the F.R.E.E. committee. “They will take back knowledge about how to extricate victims with the newest techniques.”
For more information on F.R.E.E., click here.
