ST. GEORGE — Why don’t you just open the door?

That was the question posed by a young child to South Thomaston Fire Chief Dave Elwell during a live demonstration of vehicle extrication. Another question soon to follow from another child asked, why not open one of the doors on the opposite side of the car?

Yes, a bit of imagination was needed to envision, and then understand, the challenges faced by firefighters at real-life car accidents. In response to the first question, Elwell was happy to note that responders do check first to determine the door’s level of accessibility. And for the second, yes, attendees need to imagine that perhaps one side of the car is up against a wall or wedged against a tree. Neither of which were true, of course, as firefighters from South Thomaston, Owls Head, St. George, and Union worked together to rescue an adult dummy from the front seat of a Honda four-door behind the Live Burn Training Facility in St. George, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023.

In the first of its kind collaboration for this area spearheaded by St. George firefighter Mike Lunt, several fire departments in Knox County joined together for a day of demonstrations as they attempt to recruit more adults and spark new interest in the fire scene. Along with the extrication demo, they also showed high angle rescue (Rockland) and a live burn.

One attendee visiting from outside the county remarked that she’d once been an unresponsive person in a car accident, and since she had no idea how she’d been removed from her car, she found this demonstration of high personal interest. 

This extrication, with the amount of firefighters available along with ideal weather conditions, took 30 minutes to complete. The vehicle had to be stabilized. If the stabilizers under the carriage didn’t reach high enough, the tires were deflated. The motor and air bags disconnected. Rear windows broken, sheets pulled around the victim to protect from further debris. The joints of the car door forced from the opposite side, away from the handle, and then pulled away from the car using pure human muscle.

It’s labor intensive. One piece of spreader equipment alone in the “jaws of life” toolkit weighs 65 pounds. Firefighters strained, faces grew red, new crews replaced the exhausted on multiple occasions. And through it all, a hose and separate crew of firefighters remained at the ready in case a spark from the equipment turned into flames.

In the summertime, when temperatures are high and fire uniforms feel like ovens, the extrication might take longer as geared-up responders stop for water. And, in these times when personnel is stretched, fewer members means even more time involved.

Elwell has sounded the alarm – as has every fire chief in this area...and across the nation. The FD will take any and all volunteers. Anything that a person can do…even if it’s just handing out water bottles.

The real-life victims in car crashes need responders to come and open the door.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com