Upland, CA, November 6, 2009 – Champion Rescue Tools, the leader in new vehicle construction hydraulic rescue tool technology, and Volvo Cars of North America proudly announce that the State of Idaho’s Emergency Services Training has approved their jointly-sponsored Five Star Extrication Academy as the state’s official curriculum for instructors’ advanced auto extrication training.
This day-long training academy was first developed in 2008 by Champion Rescue Tools and Volvo Cars of North America to help firefighters save lives of victims in the safest cars on the road today: 5-star crash rated vehicles. Five-star crash rated vehicles use new vehicle construction technology (NVT) which incorporates stronger metals and metal combinations that firefighters’ older extrication tools cannot quickly cut.
The Five Star Extrication Academy curriculum includes classroom descriptions and graphics of the latest new vehicle construction technology, metals and metal combinations, and updated extrication techniques. The hands-on training (HOT) portion of the Academy allows firefighters to use the most advanced hydraulic rescue tools and late model Volvo cars for hands-on training. To date, the Five Star Extrication Academy has trained firefighter training officers around the country and their departments in the latest techniques and tools to speed extrication of victims of serious accidents involving the safest, 5-star crash-rated vehicles.
Idaho firefighters are conducting an increasing number of victim extrications at auto accidents involving 5-star crash-rated vehicles where older extrication tools and techniques simply aren’t cutting apart these cars quickly enough. Getting injured victims of serious auto accidents out of their mangled cars quickly, and to proper medical care, is paramount to reducing the severity of injuries and potentially death. “The Five Star Extrication Academy’s train-the-trainer curriculum will be sent to all of Idaho’s extrication instructors to be used as instructor upgrade training. This information will better prepare our instructors to deliver the most current information on new vehicle technology systems and high strength metals that we have been able to find, and will be of great value to our emergency responders,” according to Jeff Cappe, Training Coordinator, Idaho Emergency Services Training.
“Champion Rescue Tools’ mission has always been first and foremost to save lives,” stated Alan Discount, Champion CEO. “That is why we teamed up with Volvo, a safety leader in the auto industry, to develop the Five Star Extrication Academy which we offer free to firefighter training officers.” Continuing Discount said: “The State of Idaho is showing foresight and leadership by including advanced five-star vehicle extrication in its training curriculum as the number of NVT, five-star crash-rated vehicles on our roads increases.”
Volvo Cars of North America has been a supporter of Champion's Five Star Training Academy since day one because of the Swedish carmaker's core company value of protecting and preserving life. Since 2008, Volvo has donated nearly $1 million worth of vehicles to the academy. "It's often said that Volvo builds cars for the worst day of your life," noted Adam Kopstein, Manager, Safety and Compliance at Volvo. "With Champion's Five Star Training Academy Volvo gives firefighters access to the latest in vehicle design and occupant safety systems."
Champion Rescue Tools, www.championrescuetools.com, is the technology leader in five-star new vehicle technology hydraulic rescue tools. The company’s patented line of vehicle extrication tools is proving to be the most effective and efficient tools to quickly remove victims of serious vehicle accidents, particularly in 5-star rated vehicles, the safest cars being manufactured today. Founded as Patton Hydraulics in 1978, the company has built specialty hydraulic tools for a variety of industrial applications for customers including GM, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, and Chrysler. Champion is the sponsor, along with Volvo Cars of North America and leading fire equipment manufacturers, of the no-cost Five Star Extrication Training Academy for firefighters.
