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October 6, 2005
Shelley Szafraniec, APR
Community Information Specialist

FIREFIGHTERS PARTICIPATE IN HEAVY RESCUE TRAINING

More than 40 firefighters, local and from around the nation, are participating this week, October 3-7, in heavy rescue training hosted by Volusia Fire Services at the Fire Services Institute, 3889 Tiger Bay Rd., Daytona Beach.

The training, offered once a year in Volusia County, focuses on techniques firefighters could use to make large vehicle rescues and patient extrication. Large vehicles include school buses, tractor-trailers and other five-ton or more vehicles such as cement trucks.

According to Captain James Koczan, training coordinator at the institute, Volusia County is one of a few counties in Florida that hosts this training yearly, mainly because of the large amount of area needed to accommodate the vehicles and firefighters.

“We use automobiles, school buses and other large vehicles in different combinations in multiple scenarios,” said Koczan. “The firefighters practice the use of air bag systems, winches, ropes and chains as part of the rescue exercises. This helps secure the vehicle, so they are able to gain access and begin to extricate victims.”

“This training and activity really tests your creativity in being able to gain access to something so large and unstable,” said Koczan.

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