Extrication training prepares first responders

ARNOLD - The Arnold Volunteer Fire Department hosted an Extrication Training Wednesday, July 15 and Saturday, July 18 in Arnold. The class was taught by instructors from the State Fire Marshall’s Office. Instructors teaching the class were

Brian Busse, Chuck Hoffman, Steve Oseka, Scott Kuehl, Luke Niedballski, and Nick Coble.

To meet Personnel Training Standards with the State of Nebraska an emergency medical service must provide training every two years for its members that includes extrication. This training will help the departments meet the training standards set by the state.

Local fire departments attending the training were Arnold, Merna, Broken Bow and Mason City. Members of the Arnold Volunteer Fire Department also like to do this type of training close to SORC (Aug. 6-8) in preparing for the road race.

The process for extrication consist of several steps: scene size-up, scene stabilization, battery management, glass management, peel and peak, gain entry, patient removal and EMS care and transport. One of the main reasons for these steps are to maintain safety on calls for EMS providers and their crew, the patient, bystanders and the media.

Wednesday evening attendees received three and a half hours of classroom training and on Saturday they received six hours of hands-on training. On Saturday, each group went through three stations which included hand tools, hydraulic tools and stabilization.

Sandhills Motors allowed the hands-on training to be held under their awnings to allow shade for this training due to the predicted hot temperatures. Local residents along with Myers Construction donated several vehicles to be used for the extrication training. Fire Chief, Eric Nelson organized the training, retrieved all of the vehicles used for the training and set up the vehicles on tarps in preparation for the training.

Those in attendance from Arnold were Eric Nelson, Gregg Tickle, Austin Snyder, Cam Meyer, Darren Weinman, April Tickle, Brady Weinman, Justin Mousel, Jacklyn Sonnenfeld, Tammy Weinman, Andrew Tickle, and Susan Nelson.

Attending from Merna were Joshua Christen, Jason Lamb, Ernie Johnson, Dewey Maring, and Justin Potter.

Attending from Broken Bow were James Bissonette, David Baltz, Jeremiah Daugherty, Troy Mack, Cody Neville, and Jerred White.

Christopher Walker attended from Mason City.

Tammy Weinman At right, Jacklyn Sonnenfeld EMT student, Arnold; Andrew Tickle EMT, Arnold; Chris Walker EMT, Mason City; and Tammy Weinman EMT, Arnold practice packaging a patient during extrication training.

Tammy Weinman Pictured above is Arnold Fire Chief Eric Nelson using hydraulic tools during extrication training in Arnold.

Tammy Weinman Above, instructor Brian Busse discusses stabilization with Arnold firefighters Cam Meyer, Gregg Tickle, Justin Mousel and Jacklyn Sonnenfeld.