RICHMOND, Ky. -- When Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) Fire Chief Sean Brewer scheduled vehicle extraction training for August 25, 2015, he knew his BGAD firefighters would be joined by firefighters from Madison County's two fire stations. What he didn't know was how quickly -- and similarly -- the planned training would become unplanned reality and change a story about military and public mutual support into one about against-the-odds timing.
Each year, the BGAD Fire Department (FD) hosts various training exercises on the installation and invites city and county personnel to participate. "Our mutual support agreements and joint training exercises are win-win-win deals," says Brewer. "BGAD wins, city and county firefighters win, but mostly those in need of emergency services win. When it comes to saving lives and property, the old adage 'stay-in-your-own-lane' doesn't apply. If the city or county needs help, BGAD is there. And vice versa."
The training already had started out under unusual circumstances. First, it was a beautiful, fall-like August day with temperatures well below normal. Second, the simulated scenario included an overturned vehicle with a crushed roof and three trapped crash dummies, which was different according to BGAD FD Captain Marcus Nielsen. "During my more than 10 years with the BGAD FD, today was the first day I remember us doing vehicle extraction training on an inverted vehicle with a crushed roof."
During the next three hours, training proceeded without a hitch, beginning with some wise words from BGAD FD Captain Richard Wright noting the importance of 'removing the vehicle from around the person.' Says Wright, "During the real thing, it's easy to become victim-focused rather than on what has to be done to stabilize the vehicle and determining how best to make it safe for both the victim and the rescue personnel. Focusing on the victim can lead to becoming emotionally involved and cause even further harm."
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The remainder of the training exercise included the tasks of evaluating the scenario and determining the best methods and tools to access the vehicle, followed by the application of stabilizing chocks and the actions of cutting, shearing, bending and spreading vehicle structures using a variety of hydraulic tools such as the Jaws of Life. The exercise concluded a little after noon.
Less than 90 minutes later, all the same BGAD and Madison County FD personnel reconvened for the real thing, with the almost exact same scenario just outside the BGAD fence line. According to the local news, a car was "traveling south on Highway 421 when it lost control after a curve, fell over an embankment, became airborne, struck a tree, then landed on its top."
The similarity between the just-completed exercise and the now real-world overturned vehicle with a crushed roof was not lost on any of the BGAD or Madison County firefighters. Captain Nielsen said what everyone was already thinking: "What are the odds of this happening?" No one answered.
Thankfully, the injured driver, despite the collapsed roof, was able to extricate himself before the police or EMS personnel arrived, thus saving the BGAD and County firefighters from performing their just-rehearsed vehicle extraction tasks. But all took comfort in knowing that, should the driver have needed to have someone "remove his vehicle from around him," there couldn't have been a better trained and capable group than the mutual aid support firefighters from BGAD and Madison County.
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