Advanced Vehicle Stabilization and Extrication Course
Concepts and Applications for Heavy Vehicles

While we have the ability to teach courses in all disciplines of technical rescue, our focus area is in Advanced Vehicle Stabilization and Extrication. This area is known by various other titles in other locations throughout the country, including Heavy Rescue, Heavy Truck Extrication, Big Rig Rescue, etc.  Our course is sub-titled "Concepts and Applications for Heavy Vehicles", which depicts that particular sub-area within the field of extrication.  

We believe our course is unique in that we offer what many other "heavy rescue" courses do not.  First, our course is "rescue tool based".  That means that we don't simply bring in a big tow truck or heavy wrecker and have them do all the work.  While we agree that those resources certainly have their place, we also believe that you must be a master of the resources you carry on your apparatus.  Our goal is to teach you everything we can about the equipment you already have, including having you use it to mitigate several scenarios. Our program will teach you how to work with what you have, and also suggest other rescue equipment that you may want to consider for your inventory.

Second, we base each scenario on a different vehicle configuration and a different stabilization and lifting technique.  Other programs don't offer the variation in heavy vehicles, their scenario configuration, and they use the same tool for each scenario  Because you wouldn't likely use the same tool for every rescue you'll face in the field, we believe training should follow that same philosophy.  And finally, we offer a comprehensive PowerPoint slideshow  that covers the technical aspects that are taught in the practical scenarios.  We believe technical knowledge is a "must" at this level of extrication, and we provide that knowledge.  That slideshow is backed-up with a short but comprehensive review of the tools used in each and every scenario.  
Topics Covered in our Course
  • Approximate 24 hour program including didactic and practical scenarios
  • 4 Challenging scenarios utilizing various large/heavy vehicles
  • Comprehensive PowerPoint Slide show covering technical information
  • Heavy vehicle weight knowledge and load estimation techniques
  • Weight distribution and center of gravity concepts
  • Extensive wood cribbing and shoring information and capacities
  • High and medium pressure airbag operations
  • Heavy rigging equipment and techniques including winch operations
  • Hydraulic lifting cylinder operations
  • Heavy lift gantry and A-frame operations
  • Mechanical/pneumatic strut use and stabilization operations
  • Various basic physics and mechanical principles
Picture
Flatbed tractor trailer scenario: Unstable concrete jersey walls on the trailer after stabilization, and multiple struts stabilizing the trailer during a lift with hydraulic lifting cylinders.

Hosting This Course

Most departments have plenty of questions about hosting a course of this nature.  Many are afraid that they don't have enough equipment, while others are not sure their personnel are ready for such a significant undertaking.  Don't let unanswered questions keep you from getting the training you want and need.  Most of the time, once people get all the answers, they realize they are more than capable of being a host department for this course.  Send us an email or give us a call if you think you'd like to host a program.  We will send you an information package that answers most questions.  In addition, we are more than happy to help guide you through the process to make your program a success that people will ask for again and again, year after year.
A few quick notes to help you along:
  • Don't worry about equipment, as we have an extensive equipment cache to supplement what you may be lacking
  • Only basic extrication training is required as a pre-requisite to attend
  • We can help fill your program, as we always have people calling and looking for a program with vacancies
  • We can help with heavy truck resources, as we have begun acquiring an inventory of those as well
  • We can help guide you through every step of the process...contact us today