GCVFD Hosts First Stabilization and Extraction Course in West Texas

SAN ANGELO, TX – Working in collaboration with TEEX and Advanced Power Supply, the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department hosted the first West Texas Stabilization Extraction class this past weekend. This class allowed firefighters from local and surrounding county fire departments to learn about the newest methods of extraction. This was a unique opportunity for local volunteer firefighters as the nearest class of this type is over 300 miles away and not available to many volunteers.

The idea for the class began after two members of the GCVFD attended a class in Pampa, TX,. There, both firefighters realized that this learning opportunity should be available to all volunteers in their area. Despite two annual week-long extraction camps in College Station, many volunteer firefighters find it difficult to attend these classes as they balance both their volunteer time and their civilian jobs throughout the year.

The first class of 47 firefighters took part in an intensive 72-hour course that aimed to provide the newest methods in retrieving victims in a safe and timely manner. Beginning on Friday night the group received in-class lessons that were then put into practice on the field the following days. Between the three days, men and female firefighters worked their way through various scenarios that featured different vehicles as well as different possible outcomes of injured passengers.

Jaymes Lopez, a captain with GCVFD and organizer of this class, stated, "this will be a positive experience for the firefighters that attend and the departments they represent." On roads like Hwy 87, where speed limits reach 75 mph, motor vehicle accidents can leave cars severely damaged and it is important for first responders to have the proper skill set to approach the situation correctly Lopez explained. There are many factors that firefighters must take into consideration when they approach a scene and this class presents them with a chance to learn about them.

“[We hope] the community will have confidence if we ever have to work an accident.” Lopez said.

The class was developed under the supervision of 4 TEEX’s program instructors. This program is an extension of West Texas A&M University that is home to a fire field that hosts training camps for firefighters. TEEXs provides fire departments across the state to receive the same classes closer to home. This is the first time TEEXs has presented a class in this area of West Texas.

“They seem to have a good time, they learn a lot and now they are able to take this back to their departments and pass on what they learned.” David Rosier, TEEX Regional Manager for West Texas, said.

The event was made possible thanks to the contributions from local business that donated their time and resources to accommodate the firefighters. Both Chick-fil-A and Walmart provided lunch for the group and Home Motors of San Angelo donated their facility and wrecked cars to allow the firefighters the opportunity to have an in-depth and hands on experience. Advanced Rescue Power Supply provided the tools that were used during the training,

The instructors provided their vast knowledge during the classes and supervised as the different teams addressed the various issues each station presented. One of the main lessons of the class, was to teach firefighters the proper way to “marry cars." "Marrying cars" requires firefighters to use another vehicle to stabilize the affected vehicle and ensure that extracting patients can be done in a safe and secure manner.

“More and more and more people are getting hurt because [first responders] are not taking the time to stabilize the vehicles,” Alan Garner, Reagan County Fire Chief and Instructor, said, “so we are trying to teach them what to use, how to use it and to be safe using it.”

Zach Walsh, a volunteer with the Andrews Fire Department, explained that this course was an excellent opportunity to learn new techniques close to home and that this class compared to any that he had taken on location in College Station.

“They put on a great school and taught us a lot [about] the new techniques going on," Walsh said.