TIFTON, Ga. — The Tifton Fire Department completed a rigorous, hands-on training program covering all aspects of vehicle extrication this week.

The training, which began Thursday morning and ended Saturday afternoon, offered the latest techniques for dealing with current and future airbag hazards, advanced steels, patient care, vehicle construction, alternatively fueled vehicles (including hybrids, fully electric, natural gas and hydrogen fuel cells), basic and advanced techniques and techniques for teaching vehicle extrication in the classroom and in the field.

All 33 firemen from the Tifton Fire Department’s A, B and C shifts took part in the training, which was put on free of charge by AR Direct and the National Auto Body Council.

“First responders such as firemen require the most current vehicle information to be effective and save lives at the scene of an accident,” said Barry Barbee, executive director at AR Direct and NABC board member. “Free courses help keep these individuals up to date, which is more important than ever given the rapid onslaught of advancements in vehicle design such as high-strength steels, advanced restraint systems and multiple air bags. The growing popularity of high-voltage hybrid vehicles also makes this class a necessity. It is an honor to help the Tifton Fire Department out and we’re very proud of the jobs our first responders do in our community.”

The first day and half of the second were spent in the classroom.

Department personnel learned about vehicle construction, emergency response to hybrid and fully electric vehicles, extrication involving alternatively fueled vehicles, basic and advanced extrication techniques, highway safety, how to safely deal with vehicles that are airbag equipped, patient care and extrication involving vehicles with advanced steels.

Beginning on the second day, the hands on training began with practicing extrications involving a school bus.

The school bus was donated by the Tift County School System.

The first responders practiced an extrication scenario where a school bus was involved in a collision with a smaller car.

The instructor for the course, Brock Archer, had them break into three teams, each practicing a different technique such as vehicle stabilization, side extrication, where the side of the bus is cut into, and roof extrication.

On Saturday the training moved to the training facility owned by the city using late model vehicles donated for this purpose by national insurance companies.

The firemen practiced first on cars that were still upright, then cars that were on their side and finally they practiced for a pile up scenario, where three cars were piled on top of each other.

Some of the techniques practiced included door removal, roof removal, moving the dash to extricate a trapped driver, multiple vehicle accident stabilization and personnel safety while performing an extrication.

City Fire Chief Mike Coleman was very pleased with the training. He said that he wished they could have gotten the county fire crews in on the training but that the class size was limited and the city fire department filled the class to capacity.