Jan. 31, 2017—The National Auto Body Council (NABC) sponsored the First Responders Emergency Extrication program (FREE), an onsite training class to lessen the amount of time it takes to extract an occupant from a vehicle in an accident, from Jan. 26-28 in Tifton, Ga.
The course was created after much research by NABC, including multiple interviews with first responder personnel for whom the class is intended.
“First responders such as firemen require the most current vehicle information to be effective and save lives at the scene of an accident,” said Barry Barbee, executive director of AR Direct and a NABC board member. “The course we delivered helps keep these individuals up to date, which is more important than ever given the rapid onslaught of advancements in vehicle design.”
The city of Tifton had 32 firefighters partake and many received the Instructor status, noted Bobby Bennett, captain at the Tifton Fire Department.
The First Responders Emergency Extrication (FREE) program is a community awareness project whereby members of the NABC repair and donate total loss vehicles for first responder organizations in need throughout the U.S. FREE promotes efficient motor vehicle rescue procedures for emergency personnel at the scene of an accident and is provided to participants free of charge.
