Norfolk and Millis firefighters spent several hours on Saturday, March 6 refining their skills using rescue air bags, which are used to lift extremely heavy objects such as vehicles. The training was con­ducted by Heavy Rescue, Inc., whose instructors are part of the Massachusetts national emergency response team operating under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program concentrated upon a review of lifting capabilities of the equipment and techniques. The morning consisted of classroom work where firefighterslearned to calculate lifting force and surface area, with the afternoon comprised of exercises at the Norfolk DPW. Above from left to right - Firefighter/Para­medics

Richard Yunker, Charlotte Giovanella, Doug Johnston, Patrick Rockett and Firefighter/EMT Stephen Hamlin. Norfolk’s members are lifting a forklift with a simulated victim pinned beneath the lift. Below, Firefighter/Paramedic Richard Yunker stabilizes the METROLEC armored personnel car­rier (APC), which weighs several tons. Here the APC is being raised by a mere 80 pounds of air pres­sure contained within the rescue air bags. Heavy Rescue, Inc., the firm providing the training, also demonstrated the critical importance of cribbing any lifted object to ensure for safety and stability.
Photos courtesy of the Norfolk Fire Department