Firefighter Dalton Behounek (kneeling, left side) and training officer Craig Sash (red helmet) each operate a hydraulic ram while orchestrating a dash roll on a demonstration car as part of the Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance community meet and greet last Sunday afternoon. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GLADBROOK – Gladbrook firefighters put on a spark of a show for those in attendance at the Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance community meet and greet this past Sunday by capping off the event with an extraction demonstration in the fire station back parking lot.

“Usually, on a scene, you have what they call the ‘golden hour.’ So you’ve got a certain amount of time, depending on what the injury is, [to get the victim out]. If they’re just stuck and they can’t get out, it’s not a big deal, but if it’s somebody that’s unconscious, bleeding, leg problems or something underneath, you’re going [to work] faster,” Gladbrook Fire & Rescue Secretary-Treasurer Mark Lowry explained while standing in the parking lot Sunday afternoon as his fellow firefighters worked to essentially force the front of a demo car away from the seats as if someone was trapped inside.

The demonstration, which took a little more than 30 minutes, was not just for the public but also a learning experience for at least four new firefighters including Carrie and Matt Eilderts, Wyatt Jackson, and Owen Koester who are all currently enrolled in Firefighter 1 training class, Lowry said.

To begin, firefighters used a special saw to cut the windshield out after which they moved onto the four doors, popping the back of each door open before cutting through the hinges using a hydraulic cutter and hydraulic spreader as well as the more versatile combi tool. The roof was then peeled off and left flapping on the backside. It was tough work, made even tougher with the humidity which led to Lowry passing out water.

The group then tackled the final task – pushing the car apart or “rolling the dash” by using a hydraulic ram. Prior to the demonstration, Chief Matt Koester explained what exactly that all entailed.

Firefighters with Gladbrook Fire & Rescue use a battery-operated combi tool (cutter and spreader, hence the name) to cut through the front passenger side door of a car during an extraction demonstration last Sunday in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“We’ll peel the roof back and then we’ll do the dash roll, which is if you’re in a car accident and the dash is smashed on your leg. Or sometimes your foot will get underneath the brake pedal or gas pedal, and you can’t get your foot out unless you roll that dash up to give some room to get the person out.”

Unlike in a real accident, the demo car was fairly uncrushed which unfortunately made for a trickier, longer process due to less nooks and crannies in which to anchor equipment. When asked to comment on the amount of time it took Sunday, Lowry explained that firefighters often have to improvise.

“A lot of times, anymore, a lot of the ambulance services – if we can get the door off and they can get in to get them out, they’ll just get them out. They’ll just go. It’s gonna hurt, we gotta get you out,” he said. “[In other circumstances], you can’t access someone, like they’re trapped … you got to cut.”

As part of his role as the department’s training officer, Lieutenant Craig Sash spent much of the demonstration assisting newer members. When contacted following the open house for comment, Sash said he was pleased with Sunday’s results.

“I was very happy with how it went. We have a fair amount of younger and newer members and getting their hands on the tools in as close to a real world scenario as possible is fantastic. So while the demonstration took a little longer than I’d have liked, it’s invaluable to get tools in people’s hands and get the feel for what they do and how they operate.”

Gladbrook Fire & Rescue training officer Craig Sash (red helmet) advises several newer, younger members of the department during an extraction demonstration conducted in the fire station’s back parking lot as part of the Ambulance’s community meet and greet on Sunday, Aug. 10. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Volunteers needed

Both Gladbrook Fire & Rescue and the Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance are always looking for more volunteers. The Ambulance in particular could use more drivers, Director Kern Kemp told the newspaper during the meet and greet. As of press time, the Ambulance counted three drivers and six providers among its ranks with three more providers currently going through orientation.

“We are actively looking for drivers,” Kemp said. “I would like to at least double [our numbers]. But the community is pretty small. I’m the only paid person, and I’m only here three days per week. I’m looking forward to the day when I’m doing quality control.”

While the Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance’s coverage area may be on the smaller side in terms of population, it is large geographically – spanning some 88 square miles, Kemp said. Thankfully, the fire department has been available to assist in a pinch.

“Gladbrook Fire is very good about providing a driver,” Kemp said. “There’s usually someone here pretty quick. But I could easily use six to eight more drivers so people don’t have to take multiple shifts (each week).”

An aerial view of Gladbrook Fire & Rescue preparing to demonstrate an extraction on Sunday, Aug. 10 to members of the public gathered in the back parking lot of the fire station. PHOTO BY SCOTT VAVROCH PHOTOGRAPHY

The need for volunteers is certainly not unique to the Ambulance nor to Gladbrook. Rural first responders are needed throughout Tama County – a county with zero hospitals and fewer and fewer clinics.

“This is a local ambulance supported by local tax dollars. I want to keep it serving our local community,” Kemp said.

For more information on joining the Ambulance, contact Director Kemp at 641-473-2281.

With guidance from Gladbrook Fire & Rescue training officer Craig Sash (red helmet), firefighter Carrie Eilderts, center, successfully forces the driver side door off a car as part of an extraction demonstration on Sunday, Aug. 10 in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Firefighter Dalton Behounek with Gladbrook Fire & Rescue finishes removing a door from a demonstration car on Aug. 10 in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Firefighter Carrie Eilderts, center, works to finish freeing the roof of the demonstration car last Sunday afternoon in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Members of Gladbrook Fire & Rescue push the roof of a demonstration car up and off last Sunday in Gladbrook. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Firefighter Dalton Behounek (kneeling) operates a hydraulic ram while doing a dash roll on a demonstration car as part of the Gladbrook-Lincoln Ambulance community meet and greet last Sunday afternoon. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER