On Tuesday night, members of the Continental Village Fire Department drilled on vehicle stabilization and different techniques and tools that we can use to stabilize a vehicle that is on its side and unstable. Crews learned how to utilize a chain through the solid metal parts of the vehicle and connect it to our apparatus to pull tension and keep the vehicle stable while using step chocks on the other side to keep it from rocking back and forth, allowing personnel to cut and extricate a victim that may be inside without having to worry about the vehicle tipping over. Afterwards, members learned how to use rescue struts, which is another tool and method that firefighters can utilize to stabilize a vehicle operating on the tension buttress principle. This tool, again, helps support and stabilize an overturned vehicle from shifting while a patient is treated and extricated.
