VIDEO: The Bossier City Fire Department and other rescue teams in the area participated in an Advance Extrication & High Angle Rescue Class Thursday, Oct. 2. The demonstration involved a school bus on top of two cars, a car inverted straight in the air, cars with trapped patients, and high angle rescues from the training tower. First responders also used the “jaws of life” to execute complex rescues. “These are some of the scenes that people see on their worst day. You guys are training for those type of days,” said Cade Badiali with Bossier Fire.
Other tools used during the training included spreaders (to open doors or compartments), cutters (to sever metal components), and rams (to push apart structures, roll dashes, etc.). “Jaws of life really have three different names or three different tools. They’re a lineup of safety tools,” said Captain Randall Bradley with the Red River Fire District, who has 20 years of experience in the fire service. Officials say while these events rarely occur, it’s important to have trained first responders ready to save lives.
The training also provided realistic, hands-on experience for those involved. It builds muscle memory and team coordination for rare, but critical incidents, officials say. The training also emphasizes baseline knowledge for personnel who may not even be assigned to rescue crews. “When it happens, you don’t want to be the one that messes up. If it was my mother in that car, I’d want the person getting her out to know what they’re doing,” Badiali said. “We live in Louisiana. People love to drive all kinds of crazy. We need to be prepared,” Capt. Bradley said.
