VIDEO: More than 50 firefighters from across the region and country are getting hands-on training to improve their response in saving people’s lives when they’re trapped in a vehicle. It’s all part of a free 3-day class, which includes donated equipment, all thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the actor dedicated to serving and honoring American veterans and first responders.
Firefighters will learn how to use different equipment to perform heavy vehicle extrication and rescues like load securement and cribbing to lift a vehicle. “With the equipment, we’re able to make the rescue as quick as we can with the equipment provided for safety for the patient that’s inside, but also the rescuers,” said Englewood Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Blasetti.
Chief Blasetti said about a year ago, there was an incident on 776 where a pickup truck was underneath a dump truck where they didn’t have the proper equipment to perform a quick rescue. “We had the talent to be able to use the equipment, but we didn’t have it here in this region. So, what we did is we got in contact with the Gary Sinise Foundation, and they gave us a grant for the equipment, about $86,000 of equipment. And not only that, they provided us training for that equipment,” said Blasetti.
During the 3-day training, 55 firefighters from across the region and nation, including Englewood, North River, Punta Gorda, and Ohio, participated in the hands-on class. “The idea is to provide this to two firefighters per department. So this way they can bring it back to their departments and train their members on that,” said Blasetti.
