Prospect FD gets crash course in rescue

Prospect (WTNH) - As car technology changes, so do the methods used to save lives when those vehicles get into crashes. Now, some Connecticut rescuers are learning first-hand about the do's and dont's of their jobs. And it could mean the difference between life and death.

They are high impact accidents, head on collisions, high speed rollovers, people trapped in their cars. Firefighters are practicing in Prospect -- slicing, prying and surgically cutting.

"We have airbags we need to be concerned about," said Bob Skrip, President of the Auto Body Association of CT. "We have the hybrids with extremely powerful batteries that can kill you."

The training is being provided by the Auto Body Association of CT because they see the potential for disaster. After the driver is cut from the car, it is towed to the auto body shop where they find the hybrid batteries still powered and air bags fully charged. These are dangers the prospect fire chief is learning how to disarm.

"A lot of times, these things are popping and you don't want to do damage to the patient or to our firefighters," said Chief Marty Lautenschlager of the Prospect Fire Department. "It is a good little pop that comes out of that thing."

So after four hours in the classroom, men and women put what they have learned to the test. News Channel 8 was there to witness them put the tools they've learned to use.

After timing the event of a practice-extracation, it took about 7 minutes and 45 seconds roughly to complete the rescue. With the new technologies and new metals, and airbags, it is a lot harder for them to do their job.

"Nothing is ever the same, it is always a different scenerio, every cut is different," said Lt. Shawn Lajoie of the Prospect Fire Department.

Sometimes the tools don't work; it's something firefighters don't have time to figure out when someone is trapped in a car.

"When they get to the scene and their cutter won't cut the area, they are used to cutting, then we teach how to work around that to get the patient out effectively," said Instructor Todd Hoffman.