EDITOR'S NOTE: During the past two years, I-CAR instructor and a national director for the Society of Collision Repair Specialists Toby Chess
has been crossing the country conducting vehicle extrication classes. This life-saving training helps protect both crash victims
and first responders who often don't have experience extricating passengers from modern vehicles. Chess provided the following
account of this training, which you can help provide to your local first responders.
Few first responders have had extrication training on vehicles made after 2000. Insurers provide vehicles for these life-saving
training courses.
In October of 2007, I was invited to participate with about 80 firefighters for extrication training in Medford, Ore. The
four-day class was developed and presented by Todd Hoffman of Scenes of the Accident. The last day of training consisted of
a series of extrication exercises on vehicles that were 20 to 30 years old. One observation I had was that nearly all of the
firefighters had no understanding of vehicle construction, which led them to take a longer time to make their extrication
cuts.
Toby Chess instructs the Phoenix Fire Department.
The following month at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meeting during NACE in Las Vegas, I talked with Roger Cada
of State Farm and told him about my experience in Medford. He introduced me to Bob Medved of State Farm and told me to call
Ron Moore of the McKinney Texas Fire Department.
Moore is a battalion chief for the city of McKinney and leading guru of extrication in the United States. I called him and
told him my qualifications as an I-CAR instructor and offered my services at any of his training seminars. He invited me to
San Diego in February 2008, where I addressed about 60 firefighters about ultra high-strength steels and the challenges they
present to firefighters. After two days with these folks, I was hooked.
Working together
First responders learn about hybrid training while working on a Toyota Prius donated by Progressive Insurance.
I started doing research on extrication, and with the help of Moore and Hoffman put together a presentation for firefighters
that deals with hybrid safety, airbags and vehicle construction. The presentation detailed how all of this relates to a faster
and safer extrication. I made a modified presentation at the I-CAR annual meeting in July 2008 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Medved
arranged for two cars to be delivered to the hotel, and Moore introduced me to Captain John Dean of the Phoenix Fire Department.
Six firefighters demonstrated to the 250 CIC participants how to perform various vehicle entry procedures.
At 911 Collision in Tuscon, Ariz., 70 first responders showed up for training.
After the meeting, Jordan Hendler, executive director of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association, asked if I would
do a training seminar in Virginia, and I agreed. The second week in September of last year I conducted four nights of training
in four different cities. State Farm donated late model vehicles, Kent Automotive supplied the food and four different body
shops in Maryland (in Virginia Beach, Mechanicsville, Alexandria and Baltimore) hosted the event. Two hundred and sixty first
responders attended the free three-hour seminars.
While driving back from Las Vegas, I contacted Mike Quinn of 911 Collision and Dick Valentine of the Van Tuyl Automotive Group
and asked if they would like to host these training seminars at their facilities. It took about 15 seconds for each man to
say that it would be an honor to host. I also contacted Craig Oliveira, the western regional manager of Kent Automotive, and
asked if he would sponsor the four nights of dinners. Without hesitating, he said "yes."
