Training Officer John "JR" Rumpler and 2nd Asst. Chief Surozenski prepared another great training session for this month, 'Vehicle Extrication Techniques'.

MVA victims may require extrication from vehicles that have been badly damaged, a process that requires not only a rapid response but specialized skills, tools and processes. These skills and processes require repetitive training and experience for First-Responders to provide rapid, safe and effective dismantling of mangled vehicles in order to extricate victims safely. Constantly changing safety technology in modern vehicles with multiple air bags provide new scenarios and experiences for firefighters and EMT's to deal with. Unactivated air-bag inflators can deploy suddenly resulting in injury or death to First-Responders. Hybrid vehicles present additional new challenges with bigger batteries and higher voltages which must be avoided.

These photos reveal the process to first remove the windscreen safely and then the removal of the entire roof. The pillars and headliners of newer vehicles contain the inflators that discharge the multiple side-curtain air-bags. These devices need to be disarmed and removed or worked around to provide safe working conditions for rescuers and prevent further injury to victims.