Accidents
Ottawa Fire Services effectively extricates people who are trapped in a confined space. "Extrication" refers to removing people from:
- a collapsed building,
- a vehicle accident,
- an earth cave-in, and
- flipped machinery.
Vehicles are now often designed to protect occupants during a collision by collapsing around them. This can trap drivers and passengers. To deal with these problems, firefighters arrive at an accident scene armed with a vast array of hydraulic cutting, prying and pushing tools. Firefighters also have air chisels and air bags for heavy lifting.
In addition to this equipment, trucks called Pumpers have hand-powered tools equivalent to the Ontario Fire Marshal's recommendations. Heavy Rescues, another kind of service vehicle, are also equipped with the portable generators, lights and fans which are very helpful at Ottawa's working fires.
Firefighters' most valuable tool of all, however, is their ingenuity and training.
All Ottawa firefighters are trained in auto-extrication techniques using the equipment. Those members assigned to rescue vehicles practice their skills and rescue techniques constantly in order to further increase the speed with which they save accident victims.
