The Raymondville Volunteer Fire Department hosted a passenger vehicle extrication class earlier this month. Twenty-eight firefighters from Raymondville, Houston, Tyrone and Fort Leonard Wood attended.
The class consisted of a three-hour lecture on new extrication techniques needed to cut out a person trapped in a vehicle. Taught by Raymondville’s Bob Ellsworth and Michael Drozdo, the class was the first time Raymondville used its “Jaws of Life” equipment it received in 2006.
After the classroom portion of the class, the group worked on two vehicles donated by Lee’s Salvage of Raymondville. Drozdo said Hybrid vehicles with up to 650 volts of electricity and multiple airbag systems can be very dangerous to emergency responders.
“On any given day we can be called to help each others departments in a time of need. To tell you the truth, it happens quite frequently,” said Drozdo. “This type of training is invaluable when it comes to working together at an accident or structure fire.”