May 5, 2023 - (Photo Album) - Recently, the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department hosted a Vehicle Rescuer Level 1 Extrication School at our substation on Highway 7. This is the first school of its kind offered in East Texas in many years.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
The school was a tremendous success, with firefighters from seven different fire departments in three counties receiving their Level 1 Vehicle Rescuer certification. The school was sponsored by the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) to provide proper accreditation and certification. TEEX is the premier source of training resources for first responders in Texas. Instructors from Municipal Emergency Services provided 20 hours of instruction on scene safety, vehicle stabilization, car construction, and multiple methods and techniques for creating space in wrecked vehicles to allow for safe removal of patients. MES is the exclusive dealer for Hurst hydraulic rescue tools (the original “Jaws of Life), as well as Rescue 42 struts and rescue jacks.
The JVFD would like to extend a sincere “Thank You” to our local sponsors that made this valuable training possible. Smith Auto Salvage in Joaquin donated the cars for the training, and delivered them and picked them up free of charge. Cornerstone Construction loaned us their forklift to facilitate moving the cars around and positioning them for evolutions.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
Select Oilfield Service donated sanitary service, and Focused Care of Center provided drinking water and Powerade popsicles to keep our students and instructors hydrated. Siddons-Martin Apparatus Service Center in Longview, Tri-State Trucking and Subway in Joaquin and FloZone in Carthage all provided meals for everyone involved. The JVFD would also like to thank the students from Joaquin, Timpson, Shelbyville, San Augustine, Flatwoods, Carthage and Clayton who gave up their entire weekend to get the training that is proven to save lives in rural areas like our corner of East Texas. Due to the efforts of these sponsors, 27 of your local firefighters received valuable life-saving training, as well as certification as a Vehicle Rescuer Level 1 Technician.
