Write a commentFor the past couple of weeks, Oswego Town Fire Department has been flipping, cutting, and drilling with power and regular tools to practice real life scenarios at Knopp's Auto Parts, in Oswego Town.
On Thursday, April 25, firefighters and others whom showed interest in becoming a part of the team began drilling away at two automobiles, which Fred Knopp, the active owner of the shop, donated. Firefighters and explorers (people interested in becoming a firefighter) participated in breaking open car doors and windows with regular hand tools and power tools from different brands, such as Hurst tools.
"On one of the cars, we're going to treat it like a scenario in which a tractor trailer suddenly stops and a car slides underneath the tractor trailer with four 
victims stuck inside. We're going to have to break in from the back of the vehicle to get the victims free," Phil Batchelor, a member of the Oswego Town Fire Department, explained.
The crew went to work with regular tools, including a latch to pry open the door and a sledgehammer. Firefighters went on to explain how in the case of not having hydraulic, power tools, they needed to practice using regular, hand tools. Explorer Regan Siber experienced using these tools to pry open a door for her first time.
"You have to remember to tell your patients (victims inside car) what is going on and to not be mind the pounding of the sledge hammer while you're trying to break open the door," assistant fire chief, Mark Kapuscinski, said. "After all, they're the ones in the car, upside down."
According to Batchelor, Knopp has allowed the fire department to use his vehicles and property for training for the past 10 years. They plan to do some more training at the facility later in the year.
"We've been here for the past three weeks and Fred's been generous enough to donate these vehicles for us to practice," he said. "It's helping the community in the long run with safety reasons."
