Pender County Fire and Rescue Seminar
17 - 19 January 2003

Last Updated: 8 February 2003

The 13th annual Pender County Fire and Rescue Seminar was held in Hampstead, NC on 17 - 19 January 2003. Chief Haraway and Tommy Lindsay (Rescue Officer for Pender County EMS) taught ERT Vehicle Extrication Power Tools. In addition to meeting the objectives for the ERT certification, we got an introduction to schoolbus extrication. We spent most of Saturday outside getting hands-on experience with a variety of extrication tools.

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Thanks to Tim McGinn (Winnabow Volunteer Fire Department) for providing some great photos for this page!

*Photos by Tim McGinn*
Proper way to tape a window prior to breaking	Duct tape provides a convenient handle...	... for easy removal!
Tommy demonstrates the use of the air chisel on the school bus roof	After cutting through the top layer and clearing away the insulation and wiring, there was a second layer of sheet metal to breach	Tommy is thinking, "Whatever you do, don't slip!"
Assistant Chief of Kenly begins the rear panel removal	Tommy prepares to remove the rear panel	New door!
Window frame removal...	... in preparation for making a side opening	Chief Haraway supervises as this firefighter cuts the B-post
Blue Ridge and Kenly work together to create a purchase point for the hydraulic spreaders	Popping the rear door	Chief Haraway shows this firefighter where to position the tool
In preparation for a dash roll, this firefighter makes a relief dent in the wheel well	Large spreaders can be just as effective as the hydraulic ram for rolling the dash

Photos by Sue-Lynn Hinson

Tommy brought one of Pender County's rescue trucks that had all the tools we needed.
Packed full of equipment
A lot of people think "jaws of life" when they hear extrication. However, we did a majority of our evolutions using this power saw.

This is the bus that we tore all to pieces.
Chief Haraway prepares some of the tools we will need.
Our group's first task was to cut an access hole in the roof using an air chisel. In the 20-degree morning chill, the bus roof was covered with frost, adding to the challenge.

We had to cut through two layers of sheet metal.
Each group cut a hole
Awaiting a turn on the bus.

A quick break before the next evolution.
Chief Haraway discusses glass removal with his group.
Firefighters tape the window prior to breaking the glass.

Windshield removal
Split-chain wrap for steering column displacement
Connecting the chain to the come-along

Popping the door latch is easy with the hydraulic spreaders
Hinge-side door removal
Enlarging the rear opening with the sawzall

The result - a nice wide access point
We removed the sliding door by cutting along the hinge with the sawzall. Easier for those who were not quite as vertically challenged as me.
An alternative - using the air chisel to cut the hinge

First step in creating a side-access: removing the glass.
Busting out more glass
Even after cutting through the door hinges and the back panels of the bus, this sawzall blade still had enough teeth left to cut the side access hole.

After removing the windows, cutting the center support beam, and making two side cuts, the panel folds down easily.
Now THAT's a hole large enough to get a backboard through!
We had to remove the seat to make more room.

An alternative to the traditional dash roll...
... using the combination tool instead of the ram
Not quite big enough - switching out to the full-sized spreaders

That does the trick!
Tommy explains the next scenario to the class
Cutting the a-post with the sawzall

Instant convertible!
Cutting the a-post for one of the practical exam scenarios

Folding back the roof
And the final task - just to prove it can be done... creating a convertible out of the bus! Firefighters first remove the front windshield.
The tough part - making a relief cut in the roof using the sawzall

A matching relief cut on the opposite side
The hydraulic ram gets placed in the front
The lifting begins...

Switched to the large ram
A convertible bus!

Plenty of apparatus on display

*Photos by Sue-Lynn Hinson*
Tommy brought one of Pender County's rescue trucks that had all the tools we needed.	Packed full of equipment	A lot of people think "jaws of life" when they hear extrication. However, we did a majority of our evolutions using this power saw.
This is the bus that we tore all to pieces.	Chief Haraway prepares some of the tools we will need.	Our group's first task was to cut an access hole in the roof using an air chisel. In the 20-degree morning chill, the bus roof was covered with frost, adding to the challenge.
We had to cut through two layers of sheet metal.	Each group cut a hole	Awaiting a turn on the bus.
A quick break before the next evolution.	Chief Haraway discusses glass removal with his group.	Firefighters tape the window prior to breaking the glass.
Windshield removal	Split-chain wrap for steering column displacement	Connecting the chain to the come-along
Popping the door latch is easy with the hydraulic spreaders	Hinge-side door removal	Enlarging the rear opening with the sawzall
The result - a nice wide access point	We removed the sliding door by cutting along the hinge with the sawzall. Easier for those who were not quite as vertically challenged as me.	An alternative - using the air chisel to cut the hinge
First step in creating a side-access: removing the glass.	Busting out more glass	Even after cutting through the door hinges and the back panels of the bus, this sawzall blade still had enough teeth left to cut the side access hole.
After removing the windows, cutting the center support beam, and making two side cuts, the panel folds down easily.	Now THAT's a hole large enough to get a backboard through!	We had to remove the seat to make more room.
An alternative to the traditional dash roll...	... using the combination tool instead of the ram	Not quite big enough - switching out to the full-sized spreaders
That does the trick!	Tommy explains the next scenario to the class	Cutting the a-post with the sawzall
Instant convertible!		Cutting the a-post for one of the practical exam scenarios
Folding back the roof	And the final task - just to prove it can be done... creating a convertible out of the bus! Firefighters first remove the front windshield.	The tough part - making a relief cut in the roof using the sawzall
A matching relief cut on the opposite side	The hydraulic ram gets placed in the front	The lifting begins...
Switched to the large ram		A convertible bus!
Plenty of apparatus on display