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FLORENCE: Fire crews perform car extrication drill

The Florence Township Fire Department and Bordentown Township Fire District 2 crews worked together during a monthly scheduled drill at the Florence Township firehouse on March 20.

by Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE — Earlier this month local fire departments teamed up to enhance their skills and teamwork on a vehicle extrication drill.
   The Florence Township Fire Department and Bordentown Township Fire District 2 crews worked together during a monthly scheduled drill at the Florence Township firehouse on March 20. Crews worked together to stabilize the vehicles before going to work with hydraulic tools used to cut open doors to allow the firefighters to gain access to the victims.
   ”The drill was a simulated motor vehicle accident with three motorists trapped,” said Florence Township Fire Department Battalion Chief Kevin Mullen. “The firefighters had to make the scene safe, secure the vehicles and then extricate the trapped motorists.”
   The drill was set up to simulate a motor vehicle accident in which one vehicle was overturned on top of another vehicle, which was also pushed up against a jersey barrier.
   In the drill, there were three mannequins situated in the vehicles for the firefighters to extricate. Two mannequins were placed in driver’s seat and in the back seat in one white vehicle.
   ”The drill went well,” Battalion Chief Mullen said. “The crews worked well together and met their objectives.”
   ”Chief Hartman and I were very pleased with the communication and interaction between the staffs of both departments,” Bordentown Fire Capt. Robert MacFarland said.
   Skills that were learned and perfected during the drill varied depending on the individual experiences of each member, according to fire officials.
   ”Florence had some newer members participate so I would assume they had a lot to focus on learning wise,” Capt. MacFarland said. “Our crew, a platoon consisting of Lt. Greg Askenstedt, firefighter Thomas Nalbone, firefighter James Krzewinski, are all experienced members. For them, the drill was mainly to reinforce their skills as well as to develop their ability to communicate with members from another department.”
   Battalion Chief Mullen noted that the department trains with its mutual aid companies several times a year.
   ”Training is very important,” he said. “Members can learn new topics and techniques or practice their skills. This allows us to operate safely and efficiently at incidents.”
   Accidents involving motorists being trapped is nothing uncommon for these departments to respond and at times they rely on assistance from other departments.
   Florence Township fire department averages around 10 calls a year, according to officials.
   In 2013, Bordentown Twp. Fire Dist. 2 responded to 907 incidents with approximately 150 being motor vehicle crashes. Seventeen of these accidents involved extrication, Capt.MacFarland said.
   ”While the turnpike contributes a significant number of these accidents, most happen on local roadways or secondary highways,” said Capt. MacFarland. “However, the turnpike incidents tend to be more severe possibly due to speed and also truck traffic.”
   Bordentown Township Fire Dist. 2 has 13 full time employees in which 12 of them work three 24 hour shift platoons. There is one lieutenant and three firefighters assigned to each platoon.
   ”I am assigned to a day tour Monday through Friday and Chief Hartman primarily responds weeknights and weekends around his work schedule,” Capt. MacFarland said.
   The Florence Township Fire Department is currently recruiting volunteer firefighters.
   The department has five career firefighters and 25 active firefighters.
   ”Our volunteers are a vital part of the department,” Battalion Chief Mullen said.
   If anyone is interested, contact Battalion Chief Kevin Mullen at 609-499-6006 or email him at [email protected].