Lakewood Fire Department Roll Over Practice 2019
Lakewood Fire Department one the best in the county if the the best go through training and drills constantly. 09.24.2019 in the heat of day they practiced cutting injured people out of rolled over cars. Hard hot work in full gear, practicing to help all of us, just in case. Asst. Fire Chief Darren Collins was handling these drills. "Gary Claus is one of the best in the business" said Asst Chief Collins. So I stuck around and it was amazing. Gary Claus and associate Luke Ricketts were damn sharp. But experience makes all of us sharper. Which is why they train!
(click photo to enlarge)
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Walking into the back lot of Fire Station 1, rolled cars everywhere.
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Firefighters working on a rolled van.
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Then onto a car on it's side with a passengers arm caught under it.
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Crews stabilzed the vehicle, then Gary demonstrates the right way, the wrong way, and the sometimes fastest way to get the car off the arm, and the patient, out safely.
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Real cars, with real trash in them. Just like in real life.
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Here the roof of the car is being cut off properly. It retains structural strength while allowing easy access to the injured dummy.
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Asst. Fire Chief Darren Collins looks on and his crew works on the car.
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Gary Claus, knows his stuff, and really knows how to explain it.
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Lakewood a city that often has roll overs, and new firefighters never stops training.
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The seniors help with the youth, and Gary helps with everyone.
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Cutting the window out.
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Dummy saved, for another wreck.
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Luke Ricketts and Gary Claus from Genesis
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Gary Claus and Luke Ricketts from Genesis
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Gary Claus and Luke Ricketts from Genesis
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Gary Claus and Luke Ricketts from Genesis
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Genesis is like the Snap-On tool truck for fire departments.
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In this accident, the dashboard is crushed around the dummy's feet. A firefighter stablizes the patient, while other firefighter cut the doors, windows, and dashboard away. You want to talk about trust. The man in the back seat has it.
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Jaws of Life applied.
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Windhield cut out.
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As pointed out by Gary, it is far easier to cut both doors away at the same time. Faster, easier, better access.
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They train, and it becomes second nature.
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Asst Fire Chief Collins said, "Once the airbags are deployed, the car is totaled, the only thing worth saving are the people inside."
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All in all it was a great time. Thank you Asst Fire Chief Collins, and Gary and Luke from Genesis!
