Volunteer firefighters learn life saving skills

The Choctaw Plaindealer

Choctaw County volunteer firefighters learned life saving skills in an automobile extrication class, or commonly known as the Jaws class, Oct. 12, 13 and 15.

Weir Fire Department hosted the class with volunteer firefighters from Weir, French Camp and Bywy Volunteer Fire Departments.

The firefighters gained knowledge in vehicle anatomy, how vehicle collisions happen, actual extrication techniques, patient care, how to help persons from vehicles in many positions and scene management.

Chris Simpson, Mississippi State Fire Academy Associate Instructor, said these firefighters will use these skills "when the responders are called to vehicle collisions and some of these skills will actually be used on other calls."

"For example, patient considerations could be used during any 1st Responder call that the firefighters are called to on a frequent basis, the scene management will be used during every call they respond to. So these skills will not only be used in the area of motor vehicle collisions they will be used during almost every call they have," said Simpson.

In the class firefighters learned how to use hydraulic tools such as the power unit, spreader tool, cutting tool, the combination spreader/cutter. These tools are commonly known as the "Jaws of Life." They also learned how to use basic firefighter forcible entry tools such as the axe and pike pole.

Being able to correctly and confidently use the "Jaws of Life" is vital to the firefighters and the communities in order to save someone's life.

Simpson said a patient with major injuries only has one hour to from the time of the wreck to get to surgery to be a positive outcome.

"The patient that is involved in a motor vehicle collision, that has suffered traumatic injuries, has one hour, from the time of the wreck to the time that patient arrives on the surgical table to have a positive outcome. If the patient does not arrive on the surgical table within that "Golden Hour" then they have a lower chance of survival," said Simpson.

Firefighters in rural communities, such as Choctaw County, need to be efficient in responding to a call and extrication to help save a person's life.

Simpson explains the steps a rural firefighter goes through to help at an auto accident.

"The firefighters in rural volunteer fire departments throughout Mississippi, including Choctaw County, have to respond to the station to get the truck and equipment, arrive on scene, perform a scene size up, extricate the patient, have the patient transported to the hospital and then moved to the surgical unit."

"Of all this the firefighter can only control the extrication time, the more proficient the firefighters are at extricating the patient the better the outcome could be," said Simpson.

In the extrication class, firefighters are taught that they have 15 minutes one the tools arrive on scene the size up the scene, assess the wreck and extricate the patient.

"To do this they must train regularly to be able to perform these skills," said Simpson.

After many hours of learning skills in the classroom, the firefighters practiced their skills in a simulated accident scene.

Mike Auto & Salvage donated two cars for the class to practice the extrication skills. Each volunteer participated in assessing the scene and using each of the tools. They cut the windshield out, busted other windows, cut the top of the car off, removed the doors and much more. Each cut they practiced is one of many ways they many need to extricate a person from the vehicle.

Simpson wants Choctaw County to appreciate the personal time the volunteers give up to learn life saving skills for their communities.

"I would like the communities of Choctaw County to know that these firefighters give their time to protect the people they serve. By coming to this class these firefighters have sacrificed 12 hours out of their personal time to be better prepared and trained to respond to incidents in the county," said Simpson.

He said the Choctaw County volunteers are professionals and everyone should be proud of them.

"As for these firefighters they are true professionals in what they do and I believe the citizens should be proud of the firefighters that are serving them," said Simpson.