Crunch Time Extrication Learning Symposium

Like many things in life, people with experience and knowledge should pass it along to better the next generation and help them avoid our mistakes and learn from our errors. Captain Mike Hoffman of the Roscoe Harlem Fire Department hosts an annual training event called Crunch Time Extrication that does just that. Crunch Time Extrication is a weekend full of extrication training. That starts with a classroom presentation which leads into hands on training and culminates with an extrication challenge.

First off, Crunch Time Extrication has a unique model to help get the knowledge and techniques learned in this training passed on when the students return to their departments. Students are only allowed to attend Crunch Time twice. Why this model works is the final day of this training students compete in an extrication challenge where area teams compete against each other year after year. This helps the students pass on the skills and information learned to their department members. Last year 65 students from Illinois and Wisconsin participated in the weekend of training.

Crunch Time Extrication uses Friday evening for team check-in and to host a classroom presentation. I presented my New Vehicle Technology class for several years and the students are really excited for a weekend of learning. The makeup of the students are relatively younger or have an interest in learning more about vehicle extrication and extrication competitions.

Saturday the teams split up with the Incident Commanders and medical personal have task focused training for the greater part of the morning. The remaining team members head the junkyard to work on stabilization. Every aspect of vehicle stabilization is covered from top to bottom. Vehicles on the roof, side, and vehicle on vehicle are covered with almost every strut manufacturer in the business. After lunch the teams are put back together and put with two instructors that work thru 2-3 training scenarios. One thing is for sure, the Captain Hoffman secures a nearly limitless number of vehicle to destroy in the name of training. The instructor to student and student to vehicles ratios are lower than anywhere that I know of.

On Sunday, the teams compete in an extrication competition on the training grounds at Harlem-Roscoe Fire Station #3. The training grounds are transformed into a two separate hands on pits. The cache of tools from nearly every company that has recue/extrication products. Each team competes in 2 scenarios, an unlimited pit and limited pit. The unlimited pits allow all extrication tools whereas the limited is hand tools only. The only hydraulic tools allowed in the limited pits are hand pump tools. Students use hand tools like the High-Lift First Responder Jack, reciprocating saws, and Ajax air chisels in the limited pits. The number of air bottles and rechargeable batteries are limited. Each scenario is judge by Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee (TERC) judges and each team is debriefed by the judges to learn even more.

As TERC Canada member and Crunch Time Instructor Ken Bammer Niceliu states to the student, “the real winners after this weekend are the communities that you serve”. Students leave the weekend with new techniques and skills to use in their communities. The team environment fosters a close bond within students and reinforces teamwork that is pivotal in the fire service. Many of the departments that the students belong to have extrication teams that compete on a national and international level.

For information and more pictures use this link Crunch Time Extrication Learning Symposium.