Each month the City of Danville experiences over 30 vehicles accidents and other industry incidents where the Danville Life Saving Crew’s certified heavy rescue operations respond with its crash truck and extrication tools ready to free a trap victim and deliver medical treatment. However, over the years, the Crew has been hampered by the length of its crash truck’s hydraulic hose.
No longer is this restriction a concern for the emergency responders. “In August of 2022, Danville Life Saving and First Aid Crew received over $85,000 from the JT – Minnie Maude Charitable Trust which allowed the Crew to expand its life-saving resources with the addition of Hurst rescue extrication portable tools,” said Crew Chief Robbie Woodall. Utilizing the grant funds, the Crew secured two sets of Hurst Edraulic tools including cutters, spreaders, and rams. “These new tools support our efficient response to vehicle accidents and allow our certified team to assist inside industrial facilities where the structural situation was formerly beyond our capacity,” commented Bryan Fox, Chief Operations Officer.
Emergency responders will use the spreaders for opening doors, spreading, lifting, and pulling. Each spreader is equipped to accept attachments already on each crash truck, that will further expand the tool’s capabilities. The cutters are designed for cutting through the sheet metal and steel framework of automobiles and certain structures. The RAM is made to straight push which is primarily used to widening existing openings or support an opening as Crew members move patients through the opening. According to Fox, these tools may be used remotely without the necessity of the on-board hydraulic systems of the Crash Truck. “Each tool has its own pump and hydraulic fluid integrated into the tool allow the tool to function as a self-contained piece of equipment and is ergonomically designed and engineered to allow one rescuer to easily handle the tool without assistance,” said Fox.
“In addition to the extrication tools, the grant provided funding for helmets needed to protect the emergency responder. Protection gear on the helmet includes attachable eye shields and multiple attachment points for flashlights, Go Pro cameras, Night Vision Goggles, and other tools,” said Woodall.
The Crew provides pre-hospital care every hour of every day and is funded through the generosity of individuals, organizations, cost recovery payments, area foundations, and the City of Danville. For more information and to review the 2021 Annual Report, visit https://www.dlsc.org/annual-report